Losing Your First Love (But Jesus Still Loves You): A Humorous Take on the Ephesian Problem

You know that moment when you lose your keys, frantically tear the house apart, and then—boom—they’re in your pocket? Losing your first love for Jesus can feel a little like that. It’s not that He’s gone anywhere, it’s more like we’ve wandered off, distracted by life’s shiny things (and maybe a few Netflix binges). But don’t worry—there’s still hope. If Jesus can handle a whole church in Ephesus that lost its first love, He can definitely deal with us when our spiritual passion cools down.

Let’s dive into how to rekindle that flame—without setting anything on fire. Except maybe your heart, metaphorically speaking. 🔥

1. The Slow Fade: From Holy Fire to Lukewarm Leftovers

Remember when you first became a Christian and everything felt like wow? You were ready to convert the mailman, start a ministry, and tell anyone who would listen that Jesus was the best thing ever. Fast forward a few years, and now you’re scrolling through Instagram during the sermon, wondering if brunch places are still open.

The Ephesian church had this same problem, except they were also busy running a lot of successful programs. Jesus, being the great multi-tasker that He is, took a break from, you know, running the universe, to say, “Hey, you’re doing great work, but where’s the love? You’ve kind of left Me on read.”

If that’s not relatable, I don’t know what is.

2. Jesus’ Love Intervention: Time to Rekindle the Romance

So what does Jesus do? He pulls a classic Remember when... moment. In Revelation 2:4-5, He basically says, "Remember how we used to hang out all the time? You used to be all about that prayer life, and now you can’t even be bothered to hit me up in the morning before checking TikTok."

Jesus’ call is simple: “Remember, repent, and do the things you did at first.” Which is His loving way of saying, “Come on, let’s bring the spark back. You were writing me love songs on your guitar. What happened?”

And let’s be real—Jesus is the ultimate patient, forgiving, and persistent partner. He’s like that one friend who never gives up on you, no matter how many times you forget their birthday. Except instead of guilt-tripping you, He offers endless grace. Pretty good deal, right?

3. Repentance: But Not the Scary Kind

Now, I know what you’re thinking. "Repentance" sounds like you need to go full sackcloth-and-ashes, or at least dramatically cry during worship while clutching a tissue. Not so fast. Repentance is more like realizing you’ve been eating soggy cereal when you could have had waffles the whole time. Jesus is just offering you a better breakfast—metaphorically, of course.

Repentance means turning away from whatever’s been distracting you and turning back to Jesus, who’s been patiently waiting with open arms like the ultimate BFF. It’s about ditching the spiritually empty calories of life and going back to the rich, nourishing relationship with Christ.

4. Jesus Is Basically the Spiritual GPS

Good news: you can’t get lost so far that Jesus doesn’t know how to reroute you. He’s like the ultimate GPS, always recalculating to get you back on track—minus the “turn left at the next available U-turn” every 500 feet.

If you’ve drifted, it’s okay. We all do. Sometimes we take the scenic route through Procrastination Parkway or Distraction Boulevard (both conveniently located near Netflix Neighborhood). But Jesus is always ready to get you back to where you need to be—without making you feel like a total failure for getting off track.

5. Rekindling the Flame (Not Literally, Please)

Okay, so how do we get back to that love we once had? Thankfully, Jesus isn’t giving us some impossible, 10-step process. It’s really as simple as this:

Remember how it felt to be close to Jesus. You know, that time when you couldn’t wait to read your Bible, and now your Bible app thinks you’ve ghosted it. Let’s fix that.

Repent (not the scary, crying-on-the-floor kind, but the "Oops, I need to do better" kind). Reconnect with Jesus like you would with an old friend—no awkwardness needed.

Do what you did at first. Remember when you were so in love with Jesus that you’d sing along to every worship song (even the ones you didn’t know the words to)? Time to get back into those things that helped you grow—like prayer, Scripture, or maybe just showing up for your time with God more than once a month.

6. Jesus, the Expert in Second Chances

Here’s the best part: even if you’ve totally blown it, Jesus isn’t sitting there with a scorecard. He’s not going to hold up a sign that says “5/10 – Needs Improvement.” He’s ready to bring you back into that loving relationship where the fire burns bright again. And bonus—He’s not asking you to do it all by yourself.

The hope we have in Jesus is this: no matter how far we drift, how cold we feel, or how distracted we’ve become, He’s always there, waiting to renew, restore, and recharge us. He’s like that friend who says, “Hey, it’s cool. Let’s pick up where we left off.”

Conclusion: Reignite, Don’t Panic

Losing your first love doesn’t mean you’re a spiritual failure. It just means you’re human. Life gets busy, distractions pile up, and suddenly Jesus is more of a distant memory than your daily focus. But the good news is—He’s not mad. He’s just waiting for you to come back, like the spiritual equivalent of a dad who never gives up on throwing the ball with you in the backyard.

So, if you’ve been feeling distant or spiritually “meh,” don’t stress. Just take Jesus’ advice to the Ephesians: remember, repent, and return. And before you know it, you’ll be back to that first-love feeling—without any of the drama of losing your car keys (again).

Growing Daily with Grace,

Irish🤎