A jealous God?

Okay, so the few posts I have made are mostly spiritual, or at least deal with God, the Bible, church, etc. What do you expect though from a youth pastor? Well, maybe I should just say pastor because people tend to think youth pastors are more of babysitters than anything. Anywho, here is another "spiritual" post if you will. Just some thoughts as I was reading through Scripture.

Exodus 20:5 - You must not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God...

This verse, and the two before it deal with there not being another god before the God. It also talks about not making an idol, the images of these gods. Then, you come to this verse and God calls Himself a jealous God. Jealousy usually isn't a quality we think of with God. It's usually love, peace, mercy, grace. Because of circumstances, some may find God to be distant, wrathful. We never really think of God as being jealous though. After reading this, it got me wondering: Why is God a jealous God? It's not typically a good connotation to be called jealous. I mean, why would the all-knowing, all-powerful, infinite God be jealous when we humans didn't listen, didn't follow, or allowed something else to have authority in our lives? It's hard to understand why God would even deal with us, or seek us, especially when we make it clear at times that we don't really want much to do with Him.

This is going to sound odd, but I think God's jealousy is not such much that He is worried about Him not getting attention, or Him getting the glory. He has already been getting glory from so many things. Nature, the cosmos, the waves, other people. Plus, Scripture tells us that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The Bible also tells us that there will be a new heaven and a new earth and the Lord's glory will shine bright. It will shine bright that there will be no night, no darkness. So, I don't think God's jealousy is because He is worried He isn't getting enough attention, or that He won't ever get the honor and glory He is due.

I think God's jealousy--this connotation of selfishness--is , in a sense, selflessness. I believe God's jealousy for us is due to the fact that He knows what we are pursuing after, and He knows the end result when we pursue after things that are worldly, temporal, things that will eventually fade. Money, our image, boyfriends/girlfriends, sports, alcohol, drugs, popularity, etc. When those things are number one, when they consume us, there may be short-lived happiness, but there is never fulfillment. There is a void in us. So we keep throwing more and more in there and can never be satisified. But, when we are seeking after God, when we call on His name, when we believe in Him, then there is peace, joy, hope, fulfillment. No, the life may not be glamorous, but a life that makes it a point for God to have authority is one that is a life well-lived. God offers us something that nothing else can offer. He offers us a life of eternal peace. When we are no longer physically living, our souls live on in heaven, rather than in hell. He offers us a peace and a hope that passes all understanding. He offers us fulfillment and joy and contentment. God doesn't promise that problems will go away, or that we won't be tempted to sin, or that we won't suffer. He promises us Him; His Son to take the penalty we deserve, His strength to get through whatever we face, His comfort, His peace to know that even when we don't know what's going on that He is there.

To me, it's somewhat like a parent who desires for his/her child to listen to them and to obey them and gets mad and disappointed when the child doesn't. It may seem selfish, but it meant to prosper, to grow, to mature the child. It is meant to keep the child away from harmful and hurtful things, or least meant to give them strength to get through those hurtful times. Our God's jealousy, I believe, is not so much meant for His glory (though He certainly deserves it and should be glorified), but is meant for our benefit. Jealousy meant to benefit others? Now only God could really pull off something like that

Anywho, just a thought. Take it for what it's worth. Peace.