Return to Me

Broken hearted he sits and waits, hoping you will return.
Where are you my love, it’s getting late, he cries with longing for his lost soul-mate.
He listens to the night owl, knowing you are on the prowl. Tears flowing as he wonders why you will not come.
Turning out the lights, he groans in the night.
Why do you not listen when I call your name?
You say you love me, but it’s just a game…a deadly game, where in the end, you lose.
What has caused your heart to become like stone? I hear your sighs, you’re all alone.
But still you refuse to come home.
The worldly life has captured your attention, with ungodly things, I cannot mention. Wake up you’re going the wrong way…
Oh, hear me, this, I pray…
Come back to your first love…
Oh, please stop running away…
The world has stolen your affection, sin has filled your life with no direction. Living the life on easy street, is not, so easy, and yet, you will not return to me.
Open your eyes and see me, open your ears and hear me,
Your love has grown cold. There are chains that hold, you bound, to the invisible foe…there is only one way to freedom, my dove…
And that’s to return, to your first love!
How can I return, I’ve run to far, I search in the night, for your true North star, hoping it will lead me back to you, maybe tomorrow, but all I find is sorrow, I wish I knew…how to come home!
I want to return but my life’s upside down, to many things now have me bound, you could never forgive me for all that I have done…I’ve fallen, and, the enemy has won!
Look up and face true North, I am nearer than your heartbeat…
Humble yourself and we will meet, beneath the light of the stars, twill be sweet…
Turning around I see his smiling face;
You’re the first love I’ve ever known…
Running to his outstretched arms…his love for me runs deep
Embracing him, I cover my face, surrendering to him, I weep…
With tears of rejoicing in him I’m now complete…
First love renewed, as under the stars, we meet!
We are one, life’s begun…First love, won!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill March 27, 2020

Revelation 2:1-7 Good News Translation (GNT)
The Message to Ephesus

2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
“This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven gold lampstands. 2 I know what you have done; I know how hard you have worked and how patient you have been. I know that you cannot tolerate evil people and that you have tested those who say they are apostles but are not, and have found out that they are liars. 3 You are patient, you have suffered for my sake, and you have not given up. 4 But this is what I have against you: you do not love me now as you did at first. 5 Think how far you have fallen! Turn from your sins and do what you did at first. If you don’t turn from your sins, I will come to you and take your lampstand from its place. 6 But this is what you have in your favor: you hate what the Nicolaitans do, as much as I do. 7 “If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches! “To those who win the victory I will give the right to eat the fruit of the tree of life that grows in the Garden of God.