Jealous of the bookshelf - Daily Devotional December 19th, 2009

Daily Bible Reading - Job 23-24, Zechariah 1, 2 John, 3 John

Jealous of the bookshelf

Typically when we talk about jealousy it is a negative thing. We talk about not being jealous of what someone else has or of someones relationship, etc. Where jealousy in these areas and the type of jealousy it is are not ok, jealousy in and of it self is not always a bad thing.

Throughout the Bible we see that our God is a jealous God. Here in Zechariah 1:14 it says that God is "exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion". This is speaking of His people and if our God is not only a jealous God but an exceedingly jealous God than jealousy is ok. The problem is not being jealous but rather being jealous for the right things. The key in this passage is that God is jealous for His people.

God is in a covenant relationship with the people of Jerusalem just like the covenant relationship of marriage between a man and a women. In the covenant of marriage I have every right to be jealous for my wife if I see her doing things that are not within that covenant and the same is true the other way around. If I was to see my wife spending time with other guys, holding hands with someone else etc. I would become very jealous because she is my wife and she belongs with me and no one else. This is what is happening as well with God and His people. They have chosen to walk away from God and therefore He is jealous.

God wants to be with us and when we do not spend time with Him he gets jealous for us. So much so does God want us to spend time with Him that He chose to come to earth wrapped in flesh as Jesus. He also has left us a tangible revelation of himself in the Bible. He left us His word so that we would read and spend time with Him. Job 23:12 says, " I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food". Job is saying that he craves and desires the Word of God more than anything. Can you say this about the Word of God?

God is jealous when He sees you spending time with the TV, friends, work, activities and yet no time with Him. He longs for you, He desires you, He is jealous for you and your time. Do you desire Him? When is the last time you became like Job and desired His word. Is the bookshelf spending more time with your Bible than you are and if so are you jealous of the bookshelf? Are you jealous that the bookshelf is spending more time with God than you are?

What we need to understand is that it is God's jealousy for us that shows how much He loves us. If He did not love us He would not care if we were not spending time with Him. This same principle is true in a marriage relationship. It is in my jealousy for my wife and her time that shows how much I truly love her. If I did not love her than it would not bother me if she spent all her time with others. Do you love God? If so than you will be jealous of the bookshelf because it is spending more time with God then you are.

Are you jealous of the bookshelf today? Make time in your day for His word!

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Job 25-27, Zechariah 2-3, Jude 1

Dream Big
Ben