Day 21: Return to Your First Love
Intention
To be a people infused with their first love, always encouraging one another and building each other up.
Scripture
“I know what you have done; I know how hard you have worked and how patient you have been. I know that you cannot tolerate evil people and that you have tested those who say they are apostles but are not, and have found out that they are liars. You are patient, you have suffered for my sake, and you have not given up.
But this is what I have against you: you do not love me now as you did at first.”
– Revelation 2:2–4
Reflection
We live in an era when anyone and everyone can share Christ via social media. You can be a brand-new Christian and have a platform to share the excitement of finding Jesus to thousands or even millions if you are that popular.
We pray for people who we love, for the next generation, for people in government and media, for our communities, for foreign nations, for the young and the old, the rich and the poor, that they would all find Christ.
But when they do, and start posting reels about it, I see a body of seasoned believers, not all of us but a portion, doing two things. One, debating the status of these so-called converts and two, critiquing their attempts at spreading the Word.
“Are they really a Christian? What is their right as a sinner to suddenly be so righteous? Can we trust that they have actually changed? And above all else — barely a Christian with no training — what is their authority to speak the Word?”
Babes in Christ, consumed by their first love, desperate for the whole world to know Jesus. Sinners with a history of sexual immorality and drug abuse, covered in tattoos.
Recently, I watched fellow believers mock a post — and it crushed me. The post was from of an influencer with a huge platform, who sat with a physical Bible flipping to find a verse, struggling, knowing he had read it somewhere — in the end, he couldn’t find it.
The response? Ridiculed by fellow members of Christ’s own Body. Oh, how we have lost our first love.
Let us repent and love as we first did.
Let us take it upon ourselves to be good disciples, building up and encouraging these babes who crave God’s word. Let us never treat with contempt the one who makes decisions in non-essential areas, like eating only vegetables (Romans 14:2). Let those who eat everything never judge the other, for God has accepted them (Romans 14:3). When they err, let us teach and redirect our new brothers and sisters gently, lest we be tempted to sin too.
And having done that, let us recognise and crave what they have — a young, fresh love, a flame that is not hidden but that burns brightly for all to see. As their passion spreads, let us be consumed with this wildfire too.
Video
Prayer
I pray that we would be caught up again in your fire, Lord, in a passionate desire for all to know the love and the joy and the freedom that it is to know you.
I pray that we will not be found guilty of putting out the flame of those less mature in Christ. Rather, that we will take responsibility for this new flock, that we will blow on their flame, that we will disciple, not judge, that we will be consumed with the passion that they spread, once again consumed with our first love.
Amen.
Author Bio
Macaire is an advocate of prayer and living out an authentic, faith-filled life. Through her writing, she aims to encourage Christians to be grounded in the Bible as an anchor of life-giving hope and enduring truth.
Prayer Points for Five4Five 2026
1. Five people to trust in Christ and to share the gospel with those five in May. Matthew 28:19–20
2. Repentance, revival and reformation in Australia and for millions to believe in Jesus Christ. Luke 24:47
3. A Church that grows in extravagant love for God and people. 2 Corinthians 5:14–15
We invite you to support this campaign to multiply prayer in Australia for revival and see millions come to faith in Christ. Every donation to the Canberra Declaration helps us promote prayer and make a stand for family, faith, freedom, life, and the good news of God’s love through Jesus Christ.
Join us for our nightly Zoom prayer call:
DATES: Every night from Sunday, 12 April to Pentecost Sunday, 24 May
TIME: 8 pm (AEST), 7:30 pm (ACST), 6 pm (WA)
ZOOM URL LINK: zoom.us/j/776881184
ZOOM TUTORIAL: youtube.com/watch?v=pAMDxH_H_Cs
View all Five4Five 2026 devotionals
Daily devotions are brought to you by the Canberra Declaration.
___
Image via Adobe.
4 Comments
Leave A Comment
Recent Articles:
5 August 2026
6.9 MINS
Census night is less than a week away, and the religion question is more confusing than it should be. Here’s exactly how Christians — practising or not — should answer it, and why the ABS’s design deserves scrutiny.
5 August 2026
5.2 MINS
Jesus’ words are not a suggestion, but a call to action for every believer. When we represent Jesus, when His life is formed in us and expressed through us, we become light in a world that still walks in darkness.
5 August 2026
2.3 MINS
What happens when the side arguing 'the West shouldn't be suspicious of Islam' essentially tells their opponents: 'Be nice to us or the mob outside will get you'? An Oxford debate provides the answer.
5 August 2026
3.4 MINS
A new study finds people with multiple myeloma need more than medical treatment, urging doctors to address patients’ emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs alongside clinical care, in the face of impending death.
4 August 2026
5.2 MINS
How do you feel about listening to music that's been made totally through machine learning? Does it matter if you can't tell if it was made by a human or AI? Could the lyrics and emotion still resonate with you? Now, what about AI music made to worship God, or spread the Christian message — does it actually matter?
4 August 2026
5.3 MINS
Alan Ritchson’s faith is sincere yet complicated, blending robust defences of Christianity with controversial political remarks, candid reflections on mental health and an unwavering commitment to family.
4 August 2026
9.1 MINS
Thirty Muslims living in the West have made their intentions crystal clear. They've announced their plans to dominate your country, replace your values, and transform your way of life — all on camera, in their own words. They're not hiding their Islamic agenda. The question is: When will we start believing them?
Beautiful words.
Thank you Macaire for reminding us of never letting go of first love & the importance of speaking life not death in to each other
Heartfelt devotional – thanks!
I too was disheartened to see the vitriol and claims of false confession thrown at that new, very public Christian that was caught off guard in finding a verse on live TV. But I have just watched his response in a video called a “Sunday service: On being judged” He and his wife, also a new believer, explore the parable of the Prodigal son. They know they are the younger son, saved by grace by a loving father. It is beautiful to see the depth of their love for Jesus and their desire to learn more.