I remember a while back, I was jealous of my best friend (of course it involved this other girl; one of those crazy love triangle situations). I remember feeling this incendiary jealousy towards my friend. I didn't want to feel this way towards him. He was my bro! He did nothing wrong! But that didn't stop this burning feeling on the inside.
Then I got to thinking about something else. In the Bible, God's character is described as jealous: "How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?' Psalm 78:58 NIV
When I look at versus like this it makes me realize something... If I felt a pain towards my best friend, God's pain must be even greater towards me when I don't give Him the proper attention and devotion. This concept alone makes me relate to God like nothing else. God loves us so much He sacrificed his son for us, while we were still sinning so that we could be with Him. He set us up to have the best life possible, and yet we continue to go down wrong paths. God pursues us, when we don't even know we need Him, and when we are so far gone.
I always thought it was crazy in the Old Testament when God's chosen people kept on idolizing false gods, and running away from God. God's jealousy and wrath continue to grew, but He continued to have compassion and continued to pursue them (even when they were acting crazy!)
Like I said, this concept alone not only makes me relate to my Father more, but it also makes me want to draw closer to Him. I don't want God to experience a jealousy far greater than I experienced with my friend.
