God is Jealous

Week Starting May 2, 2021

 

Read this Scripture:  

Exodus 20:3-5 

[3] “You shall have no other gods before me. [4] “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. [5] You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God...(ESV)

 

Read this Thought:

We usually think that jealousy is a bad thing. That’s because when we are jealous it usually is a bad thing! Sometimes we are jealous of someone else because they have something we don’t have. Or maybe we are jealous of someone because they can do something we can’t do. Or perhaps we are jealous of the way someone looks because we think they look ‘better’ than us.  

 

However, being jealous is not always a bad thing. Think about a husband who wants his wife to love him - he is jealous for her affection (he doesn’t want her to love someone else). Or have you ever played with two puppies at the same time? If you are petting one puppy the other will often come over wanting you to pet it also because it is jealous for your attention. In both examples, the husband and the puppy are jealous for what they feel they rightly deserve.

 

God rightly deserves our love and worship. He is jealous for our love and affection - and He has every right to be. He created us. He is the King of the universe. He saves us and gives us eternal life. He is God! 

 

So when we say that God is jealous, we are simply saying that God wants us (and everyone) to love Him most - and He absolutely deserves this love.

 

Do this Activity:

Draw a picture or write about why God is worthy of our love and worship. Then share this and discuss the question below.

 

Discuss this Question:

Why does God deserve to have us love Him most?

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Scripture to Memorise:

Deuteronomy 6:4–5

[4] Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [5] You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (ESV)

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Pray Together