I guess everyone who has drawn a breath has experienced jealousy. We know jealousy from a young age with siblings; competing for our parents attention, or as "only" children looking at friends with siblings and wishing we had some!
Jealousy, in its extreme, can be destructive! Jealousy is sometimes used for motivation in the corporate world! Jealousy can instill fear, disgust, or compassion, depending on the person's heart and our heart, and who's on the receiving end.
Jealousy can be good and it can be evil, depending on it source; the spirit of its motivation.
The lyrics of one of my favorite songs says "He is jealous for me!"; meaning like the above scripture (James 4:5) that God is jealous or yearns for me (and you)! Because of His great love for us, He desires our time and attention; like a lover would. That should not sound strange because He is the Lover of our souls! Everyone knows Him as Love, but we do not consider that He is a jealous Lover!
"Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4 NKJV)
God is speaking to us there; calling us adulterers, because we seek or go after other things to satisfy our needs, instead of seeking Him!
Does that pierce your heart?
It should!
Right now you should be feeling really bad, because you have loved the things of the world (spouses, children, homes, careers, hobbies, entertainment, sports) more than HIM! We all have and do! We fail Him all the time, but Praise God, He is faithful even when we aren't! His mercy is new everyday!
Those of us with grown children have a greater understanding (if we think about it) of how God feels about His wayward children! No matter how long our child ignores us, just a phone call lifts our heart! Our love always supersedes the hurt of abandonment! Maybe that is why God allows us to experience this with our children, to give us an inkling of how He feels at our drifting away from Him!
When our children do return, (like The Prodigal) it is with great apologies, and we open our arms and take them right back - and God does too, with us!
"But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:6-7 NKJV)
Admitting we are adulterers; recognizing we have sinned by seeking other lovers to satisfy our desires and repenting of our waywardness will bring us back into fellowship with The One Who Loves us best! The One who was willing to send His Son to die for us!
Nothing else in this world satisfies or completes us like Him!
NOTHING!
Repent!
Even so - MARANATHA!
P.S. If your mom or dad is still alive, give 'em a call today! ❤️
From 6/7/14, 11/5/14
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