“I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other Gods. ” -Exodus 20:5
Just as a husband who loves his wife desires her whole-hearted devotion and unwavering loyalty, so the Lord desires to be the exclusive lover of us, His bride. We all know and understand the 7th commandment, “Do not commit adultery.” (Deuteronomy 5:18), but how have we adulterated our marriage with God?
In the book of Hosea the Lord likens wayward Israel to a prostitute in unholy pursuit of other lovers. Israel had defiled its covenant with God by worshipping other Gods. All too often we mistakenly write off idolatry as a thing of the past, a problem irrelevant to our day. An idol is anyone or anything that dethrones God from the place of highest priority in our lives. So who or what is your mistress? Your boyfriend, career, wealth, lust, comfort, ingratitude, pride, sarcasm, etc.?
Sadly, we forget that all good things come from the Lord. We forget to worship the Creator and instead put our faith in the created. Even still, our God waits patiently for the return of His bride, the day when her eyes will no longer stray from His perfect glory. He is jealous for you, His beloved child. His love is enough for you. His grace is sufficient, His power unmatched.
Remember your marriage vows with Him. He has never forgotten.
