First Loves

My first car was a 57 Chevy like the one in the picture. Same color. The only difference was mine had solid chrome wheels and moon hubcaps and a bit of rake in the rear. I bought mine for $500.00 in 1966. It had a 283 with a 4-barrel Holley carb and a Hurst 3-speed. In my mind I can still smell the tuck and roll interior and hear the sound of the chirping tires as I ran through the gears. I only ditched a cop once (I later became one :) ) and felt so bad that I promised to never do that again. If I had the car today I could sell it and use the money to make a substantial contribution to my retirement portfolio.

I share all of this because I am sensing God is bringing back first loves. It doesn't mean you are going out to buy your first car again. It means God will bring to some of you a blessing greater than what occupied your heart in the first place. Where there is now a sorrow for what is gone, joy is coming to displace that sorrow. Where there is no longer an expectation of anything new, the power of God will fall into your impossible situation and bring breakthrough. God's replacements are always better than the original.

The great thing about seeing an image of something that represents a first love is the ability the image has to stir up forgotten memories and cause us to revisit our youth - even the youth of our faith.  As I write this, I am reintroducing myself to the 16 year-old me of 50 years ago. As I look at this picture and begin to experience some old memories, I am beginning to hear the rumble of something new. Get ready. First loves are about to pull into the driveway of your heart.