Our Jealous? God

For the week and a couple days I have spent in the lab working on my graduate research, averaging well over 12 hours a day in a small enclosed room staring at seemingly endless excel worksheets is quite a way to start the summer! Since the time is spent just crunching data I have the ability to multi-task and listen to my favorite podcast ('Stuff You Should Know' from HowStuffWorks.com) at the same time. The topics range from 'How LEGOs Work' to 'Did We Really Walk On The Moon?'.

Today, one of the ones that I got to listen to was all about jealousy. I never knew there was a difference between envy and jealousy, well.....there is. It is more of a technicality than anything but a difference not the less. This got me thinking about when God refers to Himself as 'a jealous God' in Exodus. He is giving Moses the commandments and in Exodus 20:4 is where God calls Himself jealous. Growing up, I developed a sour feeling to the word. Not really for any reason either. I just took it that jealously was a bad thing. Amongst the many podcasts that I have listened to in the past months I have learned SO MUCH! But today, I have answered an enduring question I have had about God's character. Why can God be jealous and not us? If God is good, how can he exhibit jealousy?

Well.....to be jealous is to have displeasure towards something or someone due to their possessions, or status....(loosely based on Dictionary.com's definition). God feels jealously when we, His precious creation, focus our adoration or even attention to something/someone other than Him. This feeling is not out of place since God is the only one WORTHY of our time, praise, or focus. He has all the right to become upset when we give things lesser to Him (which is everything) what He ultimately deserves! OUCH! One night in youth group, or youth pastor played the song 'Run' by Kutless during out devotion time. Instead of a video this time, I provided the words to the second verse, chorus, and the bridge. Every time I sincerely listen to the words I am convicted about how much of my life is not directed to the One who longs to just be with us!

'Whatever happened to the love, the love you had for me
When you first came to me
Don't you know that I died, died so I could be with
you forever.
And I'm waiting for you
And I'm waiting for you

Why do you run why do you hide oh don't you know I
just, just want to be with you, to be with you
Hey, why do you run why do you hid oh don't you know
I just, just want to be with you, to be with you...

Find a place of solitude, and I'll speak to you
As you pray to me
Don't you know I'm waiting here, waiting for you to
read and hear my words
I'm waiting here missing the time the times we shared
oh, please come to me'

Think through where you focus most of your attention. Remember, you could be spending your time with truely good things, like family. It is when that takes the place of God in our life is when we need to watch out.