Jealousy

Have you ever heard that God is jealous?  Yep.  


Or at least his word claims that he is.


Check it out.


Exodus 20:5 (+6 for context & blessing)
⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.


Then there is:
Exodus 34:14
¹⁴ Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. 


Then also:
Deuteronomy 4:24
and
Deuteronomy 5:9
and
Deuteronomy 6:15
and 
Deuteronomy 32:21
and
Joshua 24:19
and 
Nahum 1:2


God is a jealous god.  He will not share his creation.


Are you his?  


I am his and I have to wonder how I rouse God's jealousy.


Could it be my 
hobbies
shopping
no?
collections
relaxation
no?
How about 
my children
my husband
my parents
siblings
friends?


I tend to believe that whatever our knuckles get the whitest over holding back from God will be what he uses to bring us back to proper perspective.


When Ephraim was born, it was scary and he was dying.   Never once did my husband and I pray that God would take him or us out of that situation; instead, we prayed, "Save this child physically if you intend to save him in your kingdom and use him."  He wasn't ours - not then and surely not now - just on loan - as are TJ and Amber, also.


I think the thing I value that God has really challenged my with is my friendships, though.  Those relationships that I thought were Christ centered and godly were horrifically and heartbreakingly removed from me .   It was as if God was telling me that I valued my friendship with people more that I valued my friendship with him.  I focused more on my relationship with God and he returned a dear friend to me.  Thank you, Jesus!


Father God,
Keep my heart, mind, soul and strength focused on you.   Lifting up praise, honor and glory to you - to the Son - to the Holy Spirit.  Help me make much of you for your kingdom.  Thank you, for the reminder that you are jealous and will have no other gods before you.  Help me to identify the gods in my life so that I may remove them with your help.  I love you, Lord.  Be Lord in my heart so that others may see you in me.