He is jealous for me...

Think for a minute about the person you have a crush on/love. (I'm directing this from a woman's point of view, but I'm pretty sure it applies to men too). Think about the early stages, right before you're "dating" or soon after you start. You know, those moments where you are still a little insecure about your relationship. Not sure if they will stick around. Now, think about them going and sitting with that girl you are envious of, or heaven forbid... the ex. Now, think about those stings of jealousy that flair up.

Don't lie to me. I've been there. I think 99.9% of women, I may even be bold enough to say 100% of women, at one time or another have gotten that sting of jealousy. We don't like it, we are not proud of it but alas it is there. Depending on your personality, you either push it deep down inside of you hoping that it never arises again, or you freak out the moment you are in a "safe place", be it your car, room or outside. It is a nasty emotion, one that is not pretty from the inside out (meaning the way you are feeling) or from the outside in (what other people are seeing).

Now, before I move on, I want you to sit in the moment for a minute. Truly go back to that feeling. It's almost a sense of sadness that arises. A longing to be that girl. Really feel this.

Now think about this. God is jealous for you. Stop. Think. Let me say it again and really hear me this time. God, Creator of the all things, is jealous for you. (For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:24) He is jealous of what you spend your time with. He is jealous of where you give your affections. He is jealous of what you love. (But I have this against you that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Revelation 2:4) God is jealous for you.

Now, unlike you and me, God's jealousy is not sin. God is a holy God, the only true God, and deserves our affection, our adoration, our time, and our love. We, however, are fallen beings who are separated from that God because of our sin. There is good news though. God loved you so much and longed so much to be in relationship with you, that he sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to be the penalty for us so we can enter in to that relationship with him. So that we, although sinners, can have constant communion with a holy and righteous God. And he is jealous for you. In the words of Cheap Trick, "He wants you to want Him." He does not NEED you, as he is complete in and of himself, but he WANTS you to have communion with him.

This truth hit me tonight at the Station. Craig did the song by David Crowder (originally by John Mark McMillian) called "How He Loves" and I literally sat in the corner of this small Presbyterian Church broken. I know all to well what being jealous feels like, but then to think about those emotions coming from God towards me brought me to my knees. It made me repentant and thankful. Thankful for his love and repentant for the many things that I turn to and embrace that is not Jesus Christ. I am unworthy of his love, but so humbled and thankful that while I was a sinner, Christ died for me. (But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8) To God be the glory!