SCRIPTURE: Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? James 4:5 ESV
THOUGHT: James is talking about how friendship with the world is enmity with God when he comes to verse 5. And it’s something worth thinking about: how does our friendship with the world (and I don’t think James is talking about dining with sinners here, he’s talking about our affections being transferred from God to the things of the world) cause pain to the heart of God? Cause that heart to feel jealous that what he’s done in us, what he’s worked into us, what he’s given us as a gift is being misused, or redirected toward some lesser pursuit?
Christian songwriter John Mark McMillan put it like this:
He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
James put it He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us. He has shared a sacred part of himself with us – and because we asked him to no less! We invited him in; he shared himself; and now we spurn him with another love? When I try to put myself in God’s shoes, I begin to see how I offend or make him jealous by treating his dwelling in me lightly – ignoring him, pushing him aside to make room for what is not holy, abusing his Spirit with all the things he hates – lying, cheating, stealing, other gods…and the list goes on.
When this kind of jealousy happens between humans, at least the offended party can show or tell us how hurt they are, but it’s different with our God. And maybe that’s why I’m writing this devotional. Just an invitation this morning to pause, think about the gift of his Spirit we carry, and his jealousy over it.
PRAYER: Oh God, thank you that you share your Spirit with me so generously. Thank you for reminding me how I can take that for granted, and how your jealousy can be aroused by my friendship with the world. I want to love you as you love me, with undivided loyalties.
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Blogger Amy Clemens is the author of Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. In it she explores childhood sexual abuse and how it impacted her faith (or lack thereof) for four decades. You’ll find not only her story, but better yet, the Big Story of God.
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