A Letter from Skye

Dear Sisters,

The church at Ephesus was sound in doctrine and full of what seems to be outward good works, but they were lacking the most important thing: love. The list of all their virtues sounds noble and good, until you get down to verse 4: “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”* (Revelation 2:4) It leaves you with a feeling of awe and fear, lest we ourselves find our love growing cold.

How does one leave their first love? A hardening of conscience and awareness, a compromising of standards, laxity in spiritual diligence, temporal needs taken precedence over spiritual needs—any of these and more can account for our love growing cold. The reasons vary and can be as different as night is from day depending on the situation and particular weaknesses of the individual. Or, oft we might not even fully comprehend or realize (because we’re not paying especially close attention) until it’s too late.

I’d like to relate an interesting story to you out of Hannah W. Smith’s book, The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life. She writes:

I had moved into a new house and, in looking over it to see if it was all ready for occupancy, I noticed in the cellar a very clean-looking cider-cask headed up at both ends. I debated with myself whether I should have it taken out of the cellar and opened to see what was in it, but concluded, as it seemed empty and looked nice, to leave it undisturbed, especially as it would have been quite a piece of work to get it up the stairs. I did not feel quite easy, but reasoned away my scruples and left it. Every spring and fall, when house-cleaning time came on, I would remember that cask, with a little twinge of my housewifely conscience, feeling that I could not quite rest in the thought of a perfectly cleaned house, while it remained unopened, for how did I know but under its fair exterior it contained some hidden evil. Still I managed to quiet my scruples on the subject, thinking always of the trouble it would involve to investigate it; and for two or three years the innocent-looking cask stood quietly in my cellar.

Then, most unaccountably, moths began to fill my house. I used every possible precaution against them, and made every effort to eradicate them, but in vain. They increased rapidly and threatened to ruin everything I had. I suspected my carpets as being the cause, and subjected them to a thorough cleaning. I suspected my furniture, and had it newly upholstered. I suspected all sorts of impossible things. At last the thought of the cask flashed on me. At once I had it brought up out of the cellar and the head knocked in, and I think it is safe to say that thousands of moths poured out. The previous occupant of the house must have headed it up with something in it which bred moths, and this was the cause of all my trouble.

[Hannah W. Smith; The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life, “Failures”]

Similarly, it may be hard to find the real cause of a departure in fervency and ardor of love for the Lord. We may face a peculiar temptation and wonder why. Perhaps the answer doesn’t quickly suggest itself, but the Lord knows. It could be you are getting too caught up in temporal matters and not spending enough time in the Word and prayer. Even ministries—while you are doing what you feel like God wants you to do—can have a way of crowding out all your time and consuming all your energy and thoughts.

Once we recognize that we’re really not where we should be, we shy away and are hesitant to “look under the mat,” or, like in Hannah Smith’s case, look in the cask. Perhaps it is because we’ll have to forsake a fond pleasure or give up a dearly-beloved belonging or secret wish. We don’t want to stare our problems in the face, and wish only too desperately that our difficulties would disappear and be forgotten. However, the mighty Maker of this Universe sees and understands each heart and will reveal the carefully hidden secrets in time.

I speak from experience. Not too long ago, I came face to face with the stark and painful reality that my love had gradually waxed cold. As always when love waxes lukewarm or cold, we meet with temptations without the sufficiently armed graces to fight off the enemy of our souls, thereby allowing the devil to have an advantage over us and we compromise our standards, giving place to failure and sin in our lives. I had not been as careful to stay sensitive and open to conviction, only I didn’t realize it at first. I tried to appease my conscience and distract myself. Gradually, my devotions and prayer time slipped more and more. The Lord manifested the sin clearly, showing me a hideous self. When anyone allows sin into their lives, they open themselves up to the devil and invariably lose what they had heretofore so strenuously sought out. The result is that they are weakened, spiritually, and it takes time to regain what they lost. The Lord gave me repentance and forgiveness, but because of this need for time of establishing myself again in Christ, my uncle has asked me to stop coediting Dear Princess for a season.

I apologize for my poor example and for not holding high the banner of holiness. By God’s grace, I am striving to do better. It is my desire to, but the reality of it will be determined by how close I guard my heart and how close I stay to Jesus.

As He did in my life, He will expose your greatest weaknesses—hopefully, if you allow Him, before they lead you to sin. The devil has a way of subtly showing us temptations—like wolves in sheep clothing—and if we’re not careful and if we don’t stay oh-so-closely to Jesus, we’ll give in easily, weakly to temptation. Please, please, please take heed to the needs of your soul! Guard your love and your devotion to the Lord. Don’t give place or allow the enemy to slowly and bit by bit take from you your precious desire to live pleasing to Him. Seek Him daily and cherish the times when He blesses you and gives you victory. If there isn’t any victory in your life, go to the Lord and ask Him why. Ask Him to search and try your heart. If there are sins in your life, take them to the Lord and humble yourself before Him. Love for God and sin cannot dwell harmoniously together. By giving place to one, you ultimately give up the other. Which will you choose?

Although our original plans were just to stop for a couple of issues, we have come to believe and recognize that this period in my life—this season of coediting—is over. He has given me great peace—yea, joy—in resigning my place, for I know that when He takes something away, He never fails to bless you in a greater way.

Please pray for Abigail; editing is a mountain of responsibility and there are pressures untold, not to mention several complicated and difficult tasks which she, heretofore, hasn’t had any experience in doing.

I undeniably miss all your sweet letters of encouragement, and I would still enjoy hearing from you! Please direct any personal correspondence to my home address, and I will try to answer it as the Lord blesses and gives me time.

My love and prayers to each one of you,
Skye