The last book in the Bible, the Book of Revelation, uses bizarre images purported to be about the future to comment on the state of the Church in the present. The book begins with letters to seven churches in what is now Turkey urging them in the Christian life. I heard the Lord saying to me: “To the angel of the Church in Ephesus, write this: I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first.” Think about your first love. It is all consuming. You think of your beloved constantly and imagine being with them. But over time the passion wanes and you take your beloved for granted. John the Seer, author of the book, sees the same thing happening in Ephesus. Enthusiasm for the faith has faded and a certain mediocrity has crept in. While this is natural in one sense, faith is not just one thing among others in our life. According to Revelation, faith must be at the center of all our decisions and values.
