“It’s the little foxes that ruin the vineyards (or spoil the vines)” (Song of Solomon 2:15) 

That’s an interesting line found woven into the OT story that depicts the growing love between a king and his soon to be bride. Many have looked to this book for insight not only for the human marriage relationship, but also as a foreshadowing to the deep love Christ has for His church and soon to be bride. 

 Perhaps you have heard that phrase before but never even associated it with the bible? 

 It’s the little things…the bring erosion and decay to a relationship. We always seem to become fixated on the ‘big sins’. I think most would agree though that if/when neglected, those ‘little sins’ over time do the job quite effectively. 

 Which brings me back to where I left off yesterday. We’ve been talking about truly abiding in Christ…walking on this ‘path of peace’ and making the case that this was meant to be a full time walk and just not those occasional ‘goose bump teary eyed’ moments that we’ve been conditioned to experience. 

 And God declared that we as a people have ‘not known this way or path of peace’. 

 I would propose it is due simply to the fact that we have ‘not so learned Christ’ (Eph 4:20) and what it means to abide and walk in His peace continuously. 

 You are familiar I would assume with the verse in John 10:7 where Jesus stated, “I am the Door.” 

 Never in the past 40+ years have I ever imagined that door looking like a ‘revolving’ glass door you might see in a department store or fancy high-rise where people are constantly coming in and out. On the contrary, I always imagine a large, thick, wooden door you might have seen in medieval times. But I digress. I hope you caught the idea there. 

Yesterday I left off with the sobering indictment Jesus made against one of His churches in Revelation 2. He told them they had ‘left their first love’. (2:4) He also went on to say that if measures were not taken to repent and change and…overcome…there would be no partaking of ‘eating from the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” (2:7) 

 The remedy for this serious condition that was to follow immediately after they ‘repented’, was to ‘do the first works’ they had done when they first believed. (vs. 5) 

 And what were those ‘first works’? For the sake of time/space here today, and also being aware that those of you reading may have a broad background of ‘faith experiences’ or perhaps none at all, let me approach it this way. 

 With limits, I cautiously want to use a familiar example related to ‘human love’ which can so easily be confused with other ‘types of affection’ and falls so short of the ‘God kind of love (agape) that we were created to walk in and experience. But many of you will be able to identify with this. 

When we first ‘fell in love’ with that significant other in our life, something within us awakened and we knew…that we knew…that we knew…this person was ‘the one’. And nothing was going to hinder us from pursuing this relationship. This idea of ‘swimming the deepest oceans and climbing the highest mountains’….to do for them whatever they desired…yeah…that is’ a thing’. 

And it was not about ‘having to do’ for them, rather…you WANTED to do for them to prove your undying love. You might spend reckless amounts of money…or forsook ‘party pals and extracurricular activities’ just to spend time with them. Let’s be honest…many of us just plumb lost our minds…in a good (or maybe not so good way. :- ) 

 You might even say that person ‘owned your heart’ and you would do anything and everything to secure their love. I might also add here that human ‘love’ can be very conditional if we are honest with ourselves. Why were we willing to go to great measures to secure their love? 

 Well…because of that wonderful ‘feeling’ we had. Funny…how after over the years…that ‘feeling’ began to wane for many. 

 So how does this all apply to ‘losing our first love’ for Jesus? Well, along with scripture, I can also speak from personal experience that many will be able to identify with. But first, here’s a word picture for you…have you ever rescued a pup/dog from a shelter? You had a devoted friend for life. 

 When Jesus rescued us from our captivity, there was a turning of and awakening of our dead sinful hearts. We were ‘made alive’ (Eph 2:1) Scales dropped off our eyes and we met our Savior. 

 And Oh…that ‘feeling’ I spoke of earlier…pure Love…pure Joy…pure Peace. And even with all the scars and baggage and sins that we brought into this new relationship…Christ embraced us in spite of all the ‘stink’. Like the Father in the story of the prodigal son, He saw us from afar and ran to us and embraced us in our fallen and broken condition. 

 And we were overcome with his Love and mercy. You might say at that moment of true, broken repentance and humbleness, this ‘wave of refreshing’ that Peter speaks of in Acts 3:19 came over us. It was as if God set this ‘hedge’ around us and we were enveloped in true peace. In that moment, we ‘entered in’ to a place where all our demons were forced to remain ‘outside’ that hedge of protection. 

 Can you imagine being chased through the woods by hornets and wild dogs or hogs and you are screaming and in torment and around a corner you find a cabin and make it in just in time and slam the door as you slither down to the floor and breath a sigh of relief as you escape the torment? 

 Yeah…welcome to abiding under the shadow of the Almighty. 

 And here is where ‘bad teaching’ or ‘lack of good teaching’ comes in to play. Welcome to this ‘new life in Christ’. You were accepted and loved by Him in spite of all the ‘junk’ still residing in your heart. Let’s just call that the ‘old man/sinful nature’. God wants to begin a cleansing or sanctifying work IN us. Which will involve laying aside every sin and weight that would interfere with this new walk and relationship. (Heb 12:1; 2 Cor 7:1) 

 And because He is a God who will ‘chasten us because He loves us’ (Heb 12:5-10) He has this clever way of letting us know when we ‘mess up’. He ‘removes’ or ‘lifts’ the hedge and we can quickly lose that peace’. It’s His way of showing us…”Don’t do that one no more!” 

 You know…those ‘little foxes’ that can subtlety come in and mess things up? All those tormenting ‘critters’ outside that cabin door…they still want you. Hence, Paul’s warning to ‘give NO place to the devil’. (Eph 4:27) 

 When Jesus says “Follow Me…and don’t gossip about that person or watch that show filled with hate and lust and immorality…or forgive that person and pray for them…or let that sin go…etc, etc”…He means it. And something within you might resist because…well, flesh doesn’t want to die. 

 But Jesus also says “IF you love me, you’ll do what I say.” (John 14:15; Luke 6:46) 

 And in the early days…gosh…how we wanted to comply with our new Savior. But…over time…it was…the ‘little foxes’ that led us to compromise…to settle…to ‘grow at ease in Zion’ or justify and make excuses and eventually grow drowsy and fall asleep (Matt 25:5) 

 And with each little reluctance to follow, our hearts began to ‘wax hard’ and our ears grew a tad more ‘deaf’ and we ‘drifted’. 

 And we lost our peace. 

 Sigh…. 

 But God. I hear a trumpet sounding. “Arise and Shine for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is rising upon you.” (Isa 60:1) 

 See you tomorrow.