Revelation 2:1-7

Revelation 2:1-7 
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  There are letters to seven churches in Revelation -- we looked at the one for Laodicea on Friday.  Here is the letter to Ephesus, and notice how personal it is.  It addresses the specifics in Ephesus, and it praises the way they endure and their intolerance for sin, while calling the church back to their first love.  The Ephesians have endured, but they're tired, and here they are encouraged/threatened to ensure their love sustains, and they are reminded of the crown of glory that awaits, the feast in the garden.
  God's love for each of us is unique -- we are each handcrafted by the love of God.  God knows our strengths, and our weaknesses, too.  God surrounds us with community, with a tribe, to encourage us as we grow and develop.  At times we need to hear the harsh truth and be held accountable, and at times we need encouragement to continue using our strengths.
  Find a church that acts as a tribe, that surrounds you and loves you and holds you accountable.  In this, we hear the nourishing words that remind us of our hope in Christ and points us towards the garden that awaits.