The LORD, my God, is a consuming fire, a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24).
This used to strike fear and guilt in my heart, but now I've realized,
this is Love.
Jealousy never has a good connotation. Your best friend is jealous of the new friend you've met. Your boyfriend is jealous of the charming new guy in your ministry. With jealously comes hatred, insecurity, a heart of stone, and even murder, for it is written: "Everyone who hates His brother is a murderer" (1 John 3:15). And essentially, jealousy is selfish; it's fostered by selfish motives.
Because sin is so dirty, disgusting, and despicable, it has tainted the meaning of jealousy in the world.
But because God is so pure, perfect, and powerful, His jealousy is as such.
How great is our God to be jealous for us!
Wait. Hold on. Let me say that again.
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD TO BE JEALOUS FOR US!
That's mind-boggling. That's life-changing. That is the Truth.
He wants our whole lives -- not just on Sundays, not just at prayer meetings, not just during our QTs.
He wants us to stay faithful to Him, for He knows that He is our greatest source of Joy and Pleasure.
I remember my friend asked me once if I thought God is selfish for His exclusivity. No. Nope. Never. God is loving for His exclusivity! He knows that all the things we chase after in this world will leave us empty and unsatisfied. He knows that we can never be fully satisfied until we give our lives to Him. And yet, He chases after us. He chases after the broken. He chases after the prodigal sons and daughters. He chases after those who have mocked Him, spit on Him, cursed Him. He chases after sinners because of who He is, not because of what we have done. THAT is Love. HE is Love.
And it is this same God who is jealous for me, for you, for us.
He gets jealous whenever we fix our eyes on the newest gadget, a potential boyfriend, our best friends. He gets jealous whenever we lust after comfort, money, the American Dream. He gets jealous when we lose sight of Him at church, "fellowship," mission trips.
Oh, how His heart must break when we do so.
Oh, but how this Truth should set us free! It should neither hinder us nor draw us further away from Him. It should be liberating!
Thank You Lord for being a jealous God! For being so gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abundant in Love. Oh, let this change my life as I know it.
