Day 8: Love is Not Jealous
I’ve often wondered how God could be a jealous God. Jealousy didn’t seem to fit into the character of God. When I was reading the dare for Day 8, I got a better understanding of what it meant for God to be jealous. Reading from day 8 “Legitimate jealousy sparks when someone you love, who belongs to you, turns his heart away and replaces you with someone else.” God is not “envious of us” but “He deeply longs for us, desiring for us to keep Him as our first love.” This makes more sense to me. God created us to worship Him. To fellowship with Him. His desire is for us. When we turn our back on Him we are denying the very reason for our existence. And for that, God becomes jealous of whatever we spend our time and energy focusing on.
I haven’t ever really thought about being jealous of my husband. I really don’t think I ever have been. It’s not something that I really struggle with in my life. However, I can concentrate more on acknowledging his successes and encouraging him toward future success. The greatest success that I can see at this point in our lives is the fact that he has been at the same job for over 25 years. For that I am grateful to him.
There is a beautiful worship song about how much God loves us. If you get some time to be alone, spend it worshipping God and listening to this song.
Kim Walker/Jesus Culture “How He Loves Us”
Great and Glorious God, I love you. Your magnificence is beyond comparison. Your glory defies description. Your love for me knows no bounds and cannot be measured. I am in awe of the grace which you have given to me and cannot begin to adequately express my love for you. I thank you for what you have done in my life and I pray that you will continue to mold me into your image. Thank you for being jealous of me and and desiring me to be your own. Where would I be without Your love. I fall on my face before you and I know that I have been in your presence. I will never be the same. Amen.
November 8th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
i just finished reading through all of the pages of your journal. and… wow…. God IS good!! Your steadfast hold onto God’s will in your marriage is energizing to me. Your prayers are beautiful, thanks for sharing.
oh- and the “how he loves us” song. i think i have heard that before (but from someone else)… either way, very moving.
November 9th, 2009 at 8:00 am
I am humbled that God has allowed my experience to touch you. It is my prayer that we all just abandon ourselves to God and be not afraid of what lies ahead. He gives us peace and strengthens us to face our future.