Too Much Ephesus

Purify Your church, Lord. I'm afraid we have too much of the church of Ephesus in us. We know so much. And love so little. "Clear as ice and just as cold." We tell sinners God loves them. We tell the poor God loves them. We tell the widow, and the orphan, and the single mom God loves them. We tell the alien-immigrant God loves them. We shout at everyone, "For God so loved the world that He gave . . ." But where's the evidence? We bear no cross. We offer no sacrifices. No sacrifices of our stuff. No sacrifices of our time. No sacrifices of our strength. No sacrifices of open-hearted hospitality. No evidence of sacrificial love. Our empty words betray us, betray those so desperately in need of His love, betray Him. We have hidden Your light, Lord, under the basket of a strident loveless love. Purify us, Lord. Start with me.