Deuteronomy 4:24- For The Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
As I was studying God's word this week, this verse spoke to my heart. I began to ponder what this verse really means to me and how I can apply it to my own life.
At a first glance, many people may associate it with a negative connotation. I think that we have to read the verses before and also look at the context. I think as people we run into problems when we do not understand the context or the interpretation and we put our own human thinking on it and often not allow the holy spirit to reveal to us the true meaning behind it.
For me when I think of God as a jealous God, I see him as wanting all of me and not bits and pieces of whats left of me by the end of each day. I think about that there are so many things, activities, responsibilities, and relationships that take my time such as my children, family, boyfriend, friends,church,ministry, work, shopping, exercise, cooking, house chores, up keep of my house. The list can go on and on.
Then I began to ponder how my christian life could drastically be changed if I would give God more of me. The cares of this life along with our relationships and responsibilities can ware us down when we often have nothing left. I am not downplaying that at all because I have been there many times. I do think that our God has every right to be jealous for our devotion. Our relationship with him is the most important and needs to be nurtured by being in his word praying and being the hands and feet that help the church and people in need. We should need and want to spend time with him and do things for his kingdom. He is my Savior, the one who has given me life and blessed me with so much in this world being my eternal provider from everything on this earth to what my future in eternity will be. I trust God the most and so I feel this way for him.
Lastly, I do not think our human mind can completely understand or compare God's jealousy to human jealousy. We are human and all have sin. God's jealousy is not filled with possessiveness and distrust. There is not a ounce of animosity, outrage or retaliation in God. All he is asking for is to spend time with us. He is a personal God who wants to know us more. Watch and see how he can change your life when you give more of yourself to him. I promise you will not be disappointed.
