“You shall not make for yourself a carved image.” – Exodus 20:4
Scripture reading: Exodus 20:1-7
God carved these words in stone, “For I the LORD your God am a jealous God” as part of the Ten Commandments. When God is jealous, He is not jealous like how we would be jealous. We get frustrated, envious and spiteful. Instead, God’s jealousy is a praiseworthy feeling; He whole-heartedly desires to protect something that is extremely precious.
We may see this jealous love in a marriage relationship. A husband and wife vow to forsake all others and love each other until death do they part. They do not want to share their special love with another person. God’s jealousy is like this with His people because He too has a covenant love with them. He is jealous when His people are unfaithful and other things take His place in their lives. He is jealous when they love, trust, obey and delight in things other than Him. We can be sure of God’s love because God is faithful; He desires for us to be faithful too.
God’s jealousy leads Him to do three things. First, He correctly judges and destroys those among His people who are unfaithful. Second, He perfectly judges the enemies of His people. And thirdly, He causes His people to be alert to their unfaithfulness, and leads them tenderly back into a restored loving relationship with Him.
Suggestions for prayer
Ask for a heart that is passionately devoted to God, His cause and His honour. Ask to come back to Him in faithfulness.
Katelyn Van Haren is a member of Redeemer United Reformed Church in Lacombe, Alberta. She received a liberal arts degree from Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ontario in honours accounting and is a CPA. Katelyn and her husband have five children. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com