This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her." – Zechariah 8:2

 Today's Scripture Reading (August 29, 2020): Zechariah 8

We have a jealousy problem in the church, but not likely in the way that you are thinking. For us, jealousy has become an emotion that is filled with only negative connotations and possessing no redeeming attributes. To say that we serve a "jealous God" is almost impossible for the contemporary mind to comprehend. After all, God is good, and jealousy is bad. The two can't mix.

Except that the Bible, in its various phrasings, seems to insist that our God is jealous. And the implication is far from negative, only increasing our tension with the concept of jealousy. There is no doubt that jealousy can be negative, that jealousy can give birth to a lack of trust and to over-reactive emotions that burn with anger at the object of the jealousy. But that is only part of the passion that we know of as jealousy.

In fact, most of us want a little jealousy present in the ones that we love. Because the presence of jealousy also indicates that they care for us, and are willing to pursue us. And even though this might not be a politically correct thing to say, I think that we all deep down want to be pursued. Jealousy is a force in the dance that we do when those we love are away, and they ask us if we miss them. Maybe because we are afraid of sounding jealous, we sometimes downplay the question. Our answer often sounds more like "Yes, but I have been busy and keeping myself occupied" when the truth is more "I can't sleep, I can't eat, I wonder continuously what you are doing and who you are with because I miss you," and the truth is "I am jealous for you."

And it is in the manner that God is jealous. He has proved over the pages of history that he is a jealous God, and that jealousy is shown in the fact that he pursues us, even when the only thing we want from him is to be left alone to suffer in the darkness of this world. He loves us, even when we don't love him. And he is utterly incapable of giving up on us, regardless of how rocky our lives might get. When our actions are ugly, he doesn't seem to notice, and he still loves us.

Yet, even amidst of his jealousy, he will not force himself on us. He may never be far away, but the choice to love him has to be ours. He has blessed us with the freedom to accept or reject him. So, have you made your choice? Because God is jealous for you.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Zechariah 9