Keep Jealous First

"Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God"- Exodus 34:14 (NIV).

Jealous: We most often equate the word negatively, but today's Scripture reveals God's name is Jealous. He is a jealous God. He doesn't want to share us with anything in all of creation, real or not real. Anything we put before Him has stepped over the line He has drawn in the sand. Personally, I have a daughter getting married, so I'm busy with all the details, details, details. My heart is full of joy with each preparation toward the plans that will allow this wedding to unfold into a celebration of love. Doesn't that sound like what God wants; am I not doing the work of the Lord? There's a thin line between the joy of God's blessing in bringing these two young people together and where I've made the event into an altar I kneel before, instead of God who blessed me with it. We know the order of priority: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Revelation 22:13). Let's keep Jealous where He should be: First. This holy prioritizing will cause everything else to fall into it's proper place. "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans" (Proverbs 16:3).