I have been reading an old autobiography. Marie Monsen wrote The Awakening. She discusses how through studying revivals she discovered two constants. Rivals followed people becoming aware of how they sin against God. People recognize how they fail to live the way God desires and then they return to Him. No real revival occurs without repentance.
The second thing she identified. Long intense prayer preceded these revivals. Prayer said by those desiring to see revival. Not from busy hands or lots of fire and brim stone sermons. Revival resulted from prayer– intense and specific prayer said by those who sought revival. Not always immediate results, but amazing, God given results.
I think when Jesus talks about leaving our first Love He is talking about how we forget what God has done for us. We produce no fruit because there is no life in us. The first Love springs from that connection we make with Christ when we realize how much he loves us.
I remember the greatest revival of my life. That was so many years ago now. I became a Christian at 11 or 12. But in my late twenties and early thirties, I drifted away from an intense relationship with Him. I left my first love. I became more and more focused on this world until I felt separate from God. I fell deeper and deeper in to a depression. I cried. I swore I would fix myself. Then I fell right back into a deep sadness.
One day I decided I just had to talk to God about it. I was out of town for a week. I spent every spare moment talking to God about how sorry I was. I begged His forgiveness. And at the end of that week the depression and despair I felt for months was gone. I knew what real revival meant. Over the next years, I experienced a walk with God I had never experienced before. A time of seeing Him work and knowing He was there.
First love does not typically die in a sudden flash, but dies a slow and easy death of neglect. We forget how much he loved us. We become busy and move the Lord to a lower priority. Our thoughts of gratitude shift to thoughts of entitlement. We forget the lostness He rescued us from and assure ourselves these sins of ours are not so great.
But Jesus says those who are forgiven the most love the most. I still have periods where I wonder away from God. But real life is always in Him. Confessing our sins and asking for His forgiveness needs to be sincere and constant, it keeps our sight on Him who loves us with the greatest love.
I pray I never forget from where Jesus has lifted me. Please forgive me for business and wrong priorities. Please remove the planks from my eyes. Please bring revival in my life and allow me to be a spark among others. Please bring revival to the Body of Christ. Please return us to our first love.
Fourth Day Adventures 