ROOTED - Thursday, July 31, 2025
Exodus 20:4-6
4-6 You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Reflection: Question #44, Part 2
Written By: Pastor Jesse Caro
Question: What is the Second Commandment?
Answer: Exodus 20:4-6
I often think back at the pettiness of dating relationships as a teenager. What happens in young, romantic relationships is that jealousy becomes the main operating rule. I think immature young people (that is not meant in any way to be mean spirited… I promise), as I was, want to control their boyfriends and girlfriends. I am generalizing, obviously. But generally, young people do not have the maturity to allow their new friend to continue to maintain their friendships. It becomes an all-or-nothing situation. That is unhealthy. The boy does not own the girl or vice versa. This desire to own is born out of a lack of confidence and a fear that they will lose their boyfriend or girlfriend. And jealousy, as far as I can tell, comes from this unhealthy, and immature, dynamic. Consequently, many adults never grow out of this silliness.
God, and his jealousy over us, is immune from the critique I just gave. God is jealous, with a righteous and holy jealousy. He has every right to be jealous in a way that we do not. It is not petty for God to be jealous… it is right, and good, and holy. His is a holy jealousy. I find this command instructive in that it teaches us a principal I will expand on in Saturday’s Rooted. But I encourage you to think of this wonderful truth: God loves you and is jealous over you. He has no interest in sharing you. He wants you to himself. If that makes you uncomfortable in the least, then know this: God’s jealousy of you is only a good thing. God is simply not an immature and petty teenager. He is a perfectly good and loving God!
Prayer
Lord, may we learn that you are a jealous God… a lovely and wonderfully loving God who wants to have all of our affection! You desire this for us because it is in our best interest. May we learn this and love you with all our hearts.