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a jealous God

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Announcements Forums God – July 3rd, 2016 a jealous God

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  • #1680
    spencel
    Participant

    “‘Jealous God’ means that God does not compromise with error. A watchful, loving God does not admit anything unlike Himself.”
    from 1937 College by Bicknell Young

    “Jealousy, in its ultimate meaning, is that which tolerates no rival, no presence aside from its own.” Eustace

    This concept was difficult to me because I was attributing it to a human emotion. Now, I am seeing that the term is telling us that God is All and the consuming fire is the destruction of all that is unlike God, good. As stressed here in the classes it is error destroying itself since it has no foundation in God. I see that my duty is to also not compromise with error, as we see in the life of Elijah the prophet, that the lesson writer has beautifully woven in this week.

    I like how it was expressed in an excerpt from A Jealous God by Richard L. Strauss from Bible.org

    “That is the way the prophet Elijah lived his life. He risked his physical safety to prove that Jehovah is God when he stood alone against the prophets of Baal and called down fire from Heaven on his water-soaked sacrifice. The fire of the Lord did fall, and it consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, and licked up the water in the trench around the altar. “And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God’” (1 Kings 18:39). It was a spectacular victory for the Lord over the pagan idols of the Canaanites. And it all happened because that one lone prophet could say, “I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts” (1 Kings 19:14 KJV).”

    #1681
    spencel
    Participant

    “If you could imagine being given your choice between having God or health, which would you choose? Many a student fancies that he is seeking God when he is really seeking relief from error. Mrs. Eddy once wrote, “God, good, is ‘jealous’ in our sense of the word. It admits of nothing unlike simple honesty, goodness, truth and love to be put into good’s foundation or superstructure. This I have seen proven beyond cavil over a half century.” If God is jealous, then He permits nothing to come ahead of Him in man’s procession, not even the blessings He bestows upon His children.
    When we seek to establish our unity with God, we should ask ourselves which we desire most, God, or the rewards God bestows for faithfulness. We will find that it is necessary often to rededicate our love for Him as being first, and to know that no error can tempt us to put anything ahead of Him in our affections.” from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter #271

    This is a good reminder to check our thoughts and motives. Is God more important to me than anything else? I am grateful to Mary Baker Eddy who devoted her life so that all can understand God. I see even more the importance of really getting to know God and the importance of devoting myself to this activity. I can also see the need for being alert to all that would seem to try to stop us.

    #1691
    chardelle
    Moderator

    This post has been a wake up call for me. Thank you.

    #1694
    Susanne
    Participant

    Amen–thank you for bringing up some important points.

    I’m always humbled by Mrs. Eddy’s words, “The First Commandment is my favorite text.”

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Love is the liberator.