by Pastor Douglas Brauner

The Creator’s Love

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

Okay, so I am piggybacking on yesterday’s devotion written by Pastor Steve Nickodemus. I’ve known Steve longer than I’ve known his sister, Janice, who happens to be my wife. We have known each other since our first year at Concordia College in Portland, Oregon.

If you have not read yesterday’s devotion, here is a link to it entitled, “You Are with Me Forever!” In his devotion Steve writes, “…God is not like selfish humans…” When other people might use us for their own selfish gain, God never will.

It is interesting how a statement like that can cause a person to think about something else. Another Scripture came to my mind as I pondered Steve’s comments.

“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”
Deuteronomy 4:24 English Standard Version

How can God be a jealous God and a caring God at the same time? Many Christians and non-Christians have wrestled with this question. If God is caring, if he truly knows where I have been, where I am, and where I am going, how can he also be jealous?

Jealousy gets us into trouble. It is not an endearing quality. Jealousy distances people one from another. So, how can God’s jealousy equal his caring for us?

It is not easy to make a darkroom print. It can take multiple hours and multiple prints to get the one with which I’m satisfied. If someone were to tear a print in two and throw it in the trash, I would be upset. I’m jealous of the work that I have created.

We are the workmanship of the hands of God. He wants the best for us. So, in his jealousy he gave up his Son to the cross to purchase us, to care for us, to redeem us. God is indeed jealous for us, and in his jealousy, we are saved. His jealousy, unlike human envy, is rooted in pure love for you, wanting the best for you now and into eternity.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado