Jealous For You
Exodus 20:5-6 (CEB) · The Good Life
“I, the Lord your God, am a passionate God. ... But I am loyal and gracious to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.” – Exodus 20:5-6 (CEB)
“Passionate” is sometimes translated “jealous,” and that word makes us flinch. We think of insecurity, control, a love that grasps. But there is another kind of jealousy, the kind a good parent feels watching their child walk toward something that will hurt them. It is not insecure. It is fierce because it is love.
That is how God is jealous for you. Not anxious that you might find something better, but unwilling to share you with what will leave you empty. And notice the math of the verse. Consequences reach a few generations; loyal love reaches a thousand. God’s grace outweighs God’s judgment by a wide margin. You are loved by a God who will not give up on you.
God, your love for me is fierce and faithful. Thank you for refusing to share me with the things that would hollow me out. Keep me close, in Jesus’ name. Amen.