I have been reading the book of Jeremiah lately and the first few chapters of Jeremiah really talk about how jealous God is. God had made a covenant with the Israelites when He brought them out of Egypt and after living in the Promise Land for awhile the Israelites had stopped living by the convent. The second half of Jeremiah 11:4 says "I said Obey me and do everything I command you and you will be my people and I will be your God." Well one of God's commandments to His people was "You shall have no other gods before me" Deuteronomy 5:7. The Israelites had broke this commandment, "You have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah; and the alters you have set up to burn incense to that shameful god Baal are as many the streets of Jerusalem" Jeremiah 11:13.
In my life God has been teaching me that "gods" doesn't mean golden statues, but it means anything I put above or before Him. I have really started to take a look at my life and my daily routine and I have noticed that, even though I don't purposely mean to, I am putting things before God. One morning during my quiet time, God spoke to me and said "I am really jealous of your time, I want to spend time with you and you keep putting me last." I may not have a golden idol that I worship, but I do have other things in my life that are coming before God and spending time with Him. I love spending time with God, I come out refreshed, lighter, and I know that God loves me and is with me always. But then why don't I do it more? Yes, I have excuses...I have 3 kids under 5, I have a house to clean, laundry to wash, football games to watch and so on. But, are those really good enough excuses to not spend time with my Creator, my God, my Father, the Lover of my Soul? I really don't think so. He should come first daily! I need to put my Creator first, so I can be the wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend He intended me to be. My kids need me to put my God first, so I can be an example to them and they can see how important it is to spend time with God. My husband needs to me put my Father first so I can do my best to keep our household in order, the way God wants me to. If I don't put the Lover of my Soul first then I become very worldly and my flesh takes control.
Jeremiah 17:5 says "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord." My flesh can only do so much, when I live in my flesh after a day or two everything seems to fall apart, but with God as my strength I can do all things. I need to stop using excuses to sit and be in the presence of the One who created me. I need to make Him a priority daily, not just on Sundays, but every day of the week. And when I spend time with my God, He wants it to be purposeful, He doesn't want my leftovers or because it is obligation. He wants my first, my best and He really wants me to want it. He desires to spend time with me and He wants me to desire to spend time with Him.
Today I purposefully met with God. I told my kids it was book time and mommy was going to read her bible. The kids went to their rooms and read books, while I prayed and read my bible in the living room. About 1/2 way through my reading, my 3 year old son comes out and says "Mommy, I want to read my bible next to you." He came and sat on the couch and looked through his bible quietly. It was so sweet and it really made me realize that I need to let me kids seem me have quiet times with the Lord.
The Lord your God desires to have you sit before Him, so He may teach you, love on you and hold you. He is a gentle God, but He is also a jealous one.
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