When Love Was Fresh and First
Just as a photo brings back the warmth of early love, so the Lord calls us to remember the joy of our first devotion to Him.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More by Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Ray Stedman’s devotional from Jeremiah 2:1–3 gently calls us to remember. Through the voice of the prophet, the Lord reminds His people what it was like in the beginning, when their love was undivided and their devotion simple and sincere. He recalls their early love like that of a bride following her beloved through the wilderness. It is not a scolding voice, but a tender one, inviting His people to reflect on how things were when they walked in close communion with Him.
The tragic reality is that we can drift without even noticing. The devotion that once marked our days may fade into a slow dullness, and like Judah, we may begin to assign blame to God rather than reflect on where our hearts have wandered. When this happens, the Lord does not condemn. Instead, He calls us to remember. He invites us to look back with softened hearts and rekindle the warmth that once drew us near.
Ray Stedman gives the example of married couples who have become cold and tense over the years. He notes that when asked to recount how they met, a softening often begins. The memory of love has the power to stir the heart again. In the same way, the Lord uses memory to woo His people. He reminds them that they were once the first fruits of His harvest, wholly set apart and under His care.
The call is simple: remember. Remember how you loved Him. Remember how He kept you. Remember how safe and set apart you were in His love. Not because you earned it, but because He claimed you as His own. This remembering becomes the first step back into intimacy, not through striving but through returning to the joy of being His.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
Beloved, I remember the days of your early devotion, when you followed Me with delight, when your heart was tender and your eyes were set on Me alone. I remember when your prayers were simple and your love sincere. You were Mine, and I called you holy. You were set apart for Me, the first fruits of My harvest.
Though you may feel distant now, I have not forgotten. I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. I have not changed My mind about you. You are still Mine, still holy, still protected, still cherished. I do not grow weary of you. I draw you back, not with accusation but with kindness.
When your heart drifts, do not hide. Remember. Return to the joy of our union. I did not love you because you were flawless. I loved you because I chose you, and I chose you to be Mine forever. Let your memory of My love awaken your trust again. I am your portion. I am your peace. I am your safe place.
Come with Me into the wilderness again. It is not a place of lack. It is a place of intimacy. There, I speak tenderly to you and remind you of who you are. My love never faded. I am still the One who walks with you.
Scripture References: Jeremiah 2:1–3, Hosea 2:14, Revelation 2:4–5, Malachi 3:6, Lamentations 3:22–23, Deuteronomy 7:6–8, 1 Peter 2:9, Psalm 73:26, Isaiah 54:10, Romans 2:4, Song of Songs 1:4
Real-Life Analogy
Picture pulling out an old photo album and flipping through pictures of your wedding day. You see the joy in your eyes, the softness in your smile, the simplicity of love that had no conditions. For a moment, time seems to fold, and your heart remembers what it was like before disappointments and distractions crept in.
God calls us to open that kind of album in our hearts. Not to shame us, but to stir us. He invites us to reflect on those moments when our love was undistracted and His presence felt like everything. And as we remember, we are invited again to trust.
So today, when the pressure of your schedule or the numbness of routine begins to creep in, pause. Say to the Lord, “I trust You to stir fresh affection in me in this moment. Rekindle in me what You planted when we first began.” Whether that means slowing down to give thanks, lifting your eyes in the middle of a task, or exchanging anxiety for stillness, let that memory open the way for renewed communion.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, thank You for remembering my first love even when I forget. Thank You that I am still set apart, still precious in Your eyes, still holy because of Your choosing. You have not withdrawn from me. Instead, You lovingly invite me to return, not to performance but to intimacy.
I rest in Your unchanging love. I do not have to climb my way back. You have already made the way open. Let the joy of my early days with You rise again in me, not through effort but through trusting that You never let me go. You are faithful. You are mine. And I am Yours.