“— for you shall not worship any other god,
for the Lord, whose name is Jealous,
is a jealous God.”
Exodus 34:14
NASB
The Meaning of His Name:
At first glance, this name appears fierce and negative. Jealousy is bad, right? Who wants a jealous boyfriend or a jealous mother? Atrocious damage is done by the possessive jealousy of a relationship gone bad.
But that is not God’s kind of jealous.
God pulled a broken people out of slavery and bondage.
He rescued them and led them to a rich land where they could put down roots and flourish. And as they settled into that land, He hovered over them, protecting them from both predators without and poison within.
He knew then, as He knows today, that other gods will compete for our hearts. He is fully aware of the wiles of the enemy who wants to exploit that unquenchable longing for more.
Eve had everything, yet she was willing to give it all up for the chance of grabbing more. David had more wives than he could ever possibly sleep with, but he just had to add Bathsheba to his harem.
Aren’t you just like them? I certainly am.
God’s jealousy is more about you than about Him. He never forgets that He made you for the express purpose of tight connection with Himself- and He’s not willing to make a threesome of it. What wife is willing to share her husband with another woman? What kind of husband would be okay with his wife gallivanting off on a cruise a couple of times a year with some other guy?
God is jealous for you- all of you. He wants every inch of your heart connected to His. Then He’ll fill you so full of love that you’ll be spilling it all over the people He puts in your life. Leave Him out of the picture and you’ll dry up like a pitted prune.
Is your heart divided? Are you all of His? Is He painstakingly pointing out areas of your life that you keep from Him? Are you sure you want to live that way?
He is, after all… Jealous for you.
From my heart,
Diane
Exodus 34:10-24
Hebrews 12:28,29
Song of Songs 8:6,7
Deuteronomy 4:23,24
Isaiah 33:14,15
repost 2.2011