We might not always realize it, but God can feel the same emotions that we feel. Of course, His emotions and thoughts are holy and high above ours. Being made in His image means we take after Him in many ways. He's the Creator and we also create, He has authority and gave us authority, He desires a relationship with us and we desire relationships... among many other characteristics that are similar to God and man. One of them is that He is a jealous God, not the human jealousy that comes from covetousness and hatred. His jealousy is a kind that comes from love and longing for His people.
One of the 10 Commandments states, "You shall have no other god before Me for I Am a jealous God." - Exodus 20:3 further, "You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about His relationship with you." - Exodus 34:14 The Amplified version says, "for the Lord is a jealous (impassioned) God (demanding what is rightfully and uniquely His--")
You are uniquely His and rightfully so once you've given your heart to Him. God's jealousy is one that is a passionate commitment, similar and symbolized often to that of a husband to an unfaithful wife. So no, He doesn't approve when we seek to please the world more than we seek to please Him. He is jealous when we try to flaunt our sex appeal to a depraved and obsessed world. He is jealous when we entertain the lusts of our flesh and disregard the Holy Spirit. Not because of envy, God envies no one, but because He loves us with a fierce love. Love does what's best for you.
I am reminded of a recent situation in Hollywood between husband, Kanye West, and wife, Kim Kardashian. Kim spent eight months perfecting her look for the MET Gala in 2019. Kanye West stated that His wife's dress was "too sexy" and revealing. If you didn't already know, Kanye recently professed faith in Jesus Christ, so he no longer had the same mind and perspective of his wife's sex appeal. He wanted Kim to cover up.
This is how God's jealousy is for us. We are precious to Him and He will protect us like a husband would a wife. Jesus Christ gave His life for the Church, which is His bride. A bride who is to be found faithful, pure, and unblemished upon His return for her. Are you being faithful, pure, and unblemished? Or are you too concerned about giving the world a good picture? Your makeup is flawless for the gram, but what about your walk with God? He is fiercely passionate about you remaining His. I love what 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 says,
"I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy because I have promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of (your sincere) and pure devotion to Christ."
This world, ruled by the devil, comes with many tricks and illusions of happiness, so many distractions lead us astray. I take comfort in the fact that God can get jealous because I realize His jealousy is a passionate love that protects me and keeps my heart set on our relationship. It's not to take anything away from us but to bring us closer to what we've always needed and that's His love that frees us from the grips and pains of sin.
The closer we get to God, the more we become jealous and fierce in our pursuit of Him.
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