FALL IN LOVE

FALL in Love

About a month ago, Matt and Rachael Nylin moved to Colorado. We worked tirelessly trying to pack everything on the moving van but unfortunately we were unable to get it all. Two weeks ago, Rachael texted me and let me know that they had two Cracker Barrel rocking chairs in their garage that we could have if we wanted them. We have wanted some rocking chairs on our front porch for a while, and so we took them up on their offer. Last Friday, with the help of my oldest son, I painted them black and now they are on our porch just in time for Fall.
Monday morning after getting lunches made and two of the boys off to school, I got a cup of coffee and my Bible and spent a little time reading on the front porch. The weather was magnificent. The sun had not come up yet, and there was a slight cool breeze blowing through the trees. The hot coffee and the cool breeze were quite a combination. I love Fall. By this time of the year, I have grown very tired of the hot weather, and I am ready for a cool down. Fall in north Georgia is unlike anywhere I have ever been. Soon the leaves will begin to change soon and I will be in hog heaven. I have fallen back in love with the season.
The changing of seasons reminds me of how we too, often change our focus on loving Christ. As often as the weather changes, we tend to change our commitment to Christ. There are seasons of busyness, seasons of laziness, seasons of apathy, seasons of passion, seasons of mediocrity, and seasons of sold out love. Where are you right now? Where are we as a church right now? Where are we as a worship ministry right now?
To be a Christian is to first of all Love the Lord Jesus Christ. “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home with Him (John 14:23).” The church of Ephesus in the book of Revelation is an example to us of what will happen if we lose our first love. The Ephesians’ passion and love for Christ had become cold and mechanical in the doing of good things. What they were doing was not wrong, but they were simply going through the motions without love. Christ wants us to love Him and for that to be the driving force behind our service to Him. Our service should be an outpouring of our Love for Christ. So what happens if we continue to serve God without a passionate love? The Bible is very clear when Jesus said He will “come and take your lampstand from its place-unless you repent (Rev. 2:5).” If we continue to just go through the motions without a passionate love for Christ, He will bring an end to us. He will not stop loving us, but He will stop using us. Therefore, let’s put away our apathetic attitudes and fall in love with Jesus Christ once again. I want Christ to see me serving Him out of love not out of obligation. I want my life, our church and our worship ministry to fall in love with Christ all over again. If we do, there is no telling what God will do through us!

Falling in Love with Christ Again,
Aaron Hodges