The arrival of a new year often leads people to examine their lives to see what changes they might like to see take place. Many people make resolutions about what they will do differently, whether it be eliminating a bad habit, adding something positive to their routine or accomplishing some worthwhile task. Some decisions may be relatively small, while others could bring major life-changes.

In Revelation 2, Jesus sent a message to the church in Ephesus, challenging them to make a change. He commended them for their hard work, their perseverance, their strong stand against wicked people and the fact that they had endured hardships for his name and had not grown weary.

However, the message Jesus had for the church was not entirely positive. In Rev.2:4-5 he says, “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first…”

Jesus was not specific in what he meant by the first love that they had forsaken. Was it their love for God? Their love for each other? Their love for the poor? Their love for lost people? The church at Ephesus probably knew exactly what Jesus was talking about, but the Bible does not give us that detail. Perhaps Jesus was being intentionally vague here so that we future readers would consider all the possibilities of how Christian love should be expressed.

Are you loving God as much as you once did? If so, it will show in your actions. Do you love God enough to attend his church, or to talk to him in prayer or to read his Word? Do you love God enough to obey his commands and work toward building his kingdom?

Are you loving people as much as you once did? Are you deeply involved in the fellowship of your local congregation? Are you generous with your time and money? Do you make it a point to put yourself in situations where you can be a blessing to others? Are you quick to share your testimony or offer a much-needed word of encouragement?

All of these are important questions to ask, because there is a danger that our love will start to wane, just as it did in the church at Ephesus in the first century. Jesus said that they needed to love like they had in earlier times. They needed to repent and do the things they had done at first.

There are some Christians today who need to do the same. In the words of Waylon Jennings, “Maybe it’s time we got back to the basics of love!”