It was in the middle of worship yesterday, that I heard a still small voice speak into my heart. It said, “I know that you love Me but I want you to fall in love with Me.” In response my knees buckled and my eyes filled with tears. While I describe the voice as still and small, the effects of these words was like a boulder crashing into the middle of a lake. The ripples of its impact resounded all throughout my being.

There is something about a simple word from Jesus that speaks volumes. It’s like He knows exactly how to phrase something in such a way where a thousand words are summarized and understood in one simple sentence.

After a pause of several minutes I heard from Him again, “I want you to write Me love letters.” His words triggered my imagination and quickened my heart. The truth is that I’ve had some struggles in my prayer closet lately. I get distracted and it keeps me from pressing in… that’s assuming that I am there pressing in at all. I often allow myself to remain so distracted with seemingly good things that I never show up.

There’s so much I could share about this. It’s probably more than what you would want to read. Suffice it to say that we can sometimes get caught up in our doing so much that we forget the being. We associate Christ’s love for us with, “What have you done for Me lately” when it was never about what we can do. It is about who we are.

Until we embrace who we are we will forever strive in trying to earn what has already been given to us. Our Kingdom work is not about earning God’s love. It is in response to it. It is because we are already loved that we are able to respond.

We must slow down in our ceaseless doing (perhaps only preaching to myself here) in order to focus on our being.

I wrote my first love letter this morning. The truth is that I could have kept writing much longer but time did not permit. Tears filled my eyes and rushed down my cheeks as I poured my heart out before Him. I realized as I wrote, “I am a writer. No wonder it is so easy for me to focus on Jesus as I write.” Three pages later I felt like a new man! I didn’t get caught up in pretense or religiosity. I poured out my heart and my love with reckless abandon!

I feel as though I am being prompted to urge you to follow suit with what Jesus has asked of me. His words to the church in Ephesus echo in my mind. “Return to your first love.” It is in choosing to do this that we are ready for all circumstances.

The words of my love letters are meant to remain private but Jesus did give me permission to share an excerpt. He instructed me that while I have called Him LORD for years now and have lived out the role of a servant, He wants me to move forward and to draw deeper. In telling me my wife this yesterday she asked, “How will you address Him?” I responded, “I don’t know.” It was only as I began writing that it came to me.

“Forgive me, my Love, for allowing my love towards you to grow cold. Forgive me for coming to a place where I settle with what I have known rather than continuing to reach for what my heart longs to receive. Do you remember those times when my only focus in prayer was that you would reveal yourself to me? I would say, “If you would give me just one hug it would be enough to hold me over until eternity.” I’ve never received that hug. I’ve never felt your warm embrace. I also realize that one hug will never be enough. I want you to hold me and never let me go!”

Return to your first love. This comes ahead of all roles whether we call ourselves, “Apostle,” “Prophet,” “Evangelist,” etc. Before we can walk in the fullness of our calling we must walk in the fullness of the One who has called us.

~ Mitch Salmon

Mitch Salmon is a follower of Jesus Christ and proclaimer of the Good News – The Gospel of Christ Jesus!