The Defining Moment

Bill Bright

“Look how far you have fallen from your first love! Turn back to Me again ...” (Revelation 2:5).

On a frigid evening in February, a two year old Canadian girl named Erika, was sleeping beside her mother. But she climbed out of the bed, wandered out the front door, and spent a freezing night outdoors, unprotected.

When her mother found her, Erika appeared to be frozen. Her legs and body were stiff and there were no signs of life. The frantic mother thought her daughter was dead, but she rushed her to the hospital. There the skilled medical personnel revived Erika.

Today there is not sign of brain damage or any other permanent result of her terrible night in the cold. She laughs and plays with other children, carrying no memory of her time in the frigid valley of the shadow of death.

We too have basked in the warm, safe, and secure presence of our Father. But with the ignorance of children, we have strayed from His warm, loving arms and wandered farther and farther away. Finally comes the time when all we feel is coldness and confusion.

Revelation 2:5 says, "Turn back to me again." The Bible calls this repentance. It is a lot more than simply feeling guilty. It means turning from going your own independent, self-centered way to embracing God's will for your life. You put one foot in front of the other, and go back the way you came. This is the only way back to God.

I believe this is the critical point, the defining moment in being restored to our first love with God.

Your View of God Really Matters ...

Have you wandered away from your first love? Turn around today and return to the loving embrace of your heavenly Father. Because of His mercy you can return, but you must first turn around and follow Him in order to get there.


Because God is merciful,
He forgives me of my sins when I sincerely confess them.


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