"These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven lamp stands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.  Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: you hate the practices of the [heretics which tolerate an immoral pagan society], which I also hate.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God" (Rev.2:1b-7).

I remember when I first fell in love--the high, the giddiness, the total focus on my beloved.  I remember my desire for a marriage covenant with him, my need to be his bride. And when I knew the marriage covenant was approaching, how hard it was to think of anything else but how wonderful my new life was going to be!  

I remember when I first fell in love with Jesus--the pure, clean elation and desire to know more and more about Him; how He lifted me out of the mess of my old life and gave me life anew and eternal; how more than anything I wanted my future to be wrapped up in Him.

When did the world begin to creep back in?  When did something or someone else begin to be more important, time consuming and thought consuming than Jesus?  At that moment, I committed adultery against my First Love. And He had every right to have me stoned to death. Instead, He said, "I am now going to allure [you]; I will lead [you] into the desert and speak tenderly to [you]. There I will give [you] back your vineyards and will make the Valley of Anchor a door to hope. There [you] will sing as in the days of [your] youth, as in the day [you] came up out of Egypt. In that day you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master.' I will remove the Baals from your lips; no longer will their names be invoked . . . I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge [Me]" (Hosea 2:14-20). In my "adultery," He wooed me and allured me back to Himself, and He melted my wicked heart one more time--and I am so sorry--and I am so loved.

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin . . .Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me" (Psalm 51:1-2, 11-12). Thank you, Lord that You are faithful when I am unfaithful, and that You never leave me nor forsake me.

                             Holy Romance
 
El Shaddai, Prince of Peace, Lord of Love, Morning Star,
Elevate me to heavenly realms where You are,
My desire is to walk every day by Your side,
Be my friend, be my strength, be my comfort and guide.

Mighty One, Yahweh's Son and my Kinsman Redeemer,
My Beloved Intercessor and Deliverer,
You're my Cleft in the rock, You're my Guard in the night
You're my Port in the Storm, You're my Beacon of Light

I will sing in the shadow of Your Wings,
I will rest in Your Blessed Assurance,
Safe and warm in the Everlasting Arms;
I will dance in this Holy Romance!
                                                       (B. Haynes)