Motherhood Hinges on God’s Jealousy
Multitasking Mothers
Multitasking is an phantasm for me. I can solely totally interact one factor at a time. In relation to my 5 youngsters, if a couple of tries to speak to me on the identical time (which they generally do), the result’s that I can’t distinguish what one particular person says from the opposite.
It’s taken awhile, however when that occurs, I’ve lastly realized to ask everybody to be quiet. “I wish to hear what every of you has to say, however proper now I can’t perceive any of you.” Then, pointing, “You first, you subsequent, and then you definately.” They’re starting to catch on.
Mothers, God designed us to be one-thing ladies, and there’s one specific factor he desires us to deal with. Are you curious what that’s? We’ll get to it, however earlier than we do, we have to perceive one thing about God.
God Is Jealous
After bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. The second commandment is, “You shall not make for your self a carved picture, or any likeness of something that’s in heaven above, or that’s within the earth beneath, or that’s within the water below the earth. You shall not bow right down to them or serve them” (Ex. 20:4–5). Why not? “. . . for I the Lord your God am a jealous God” (Ex. 20:5b). Later, God reminds Moses that “the Lord, whose identify is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Ex. 34:14).
God is jealous. It’s even one in all his names. And in Scripture, God’s identify is intently related together with his character. The issue for mothers such as you and me is that we’re used to considering of jealousy as a vice. A no-no. It’s what a baby would possibly really feel when his buddy will get a brand new toy, an older sister will get to remain up late, or the child will get additional consideration. And that doesn’t match with what we find out about God.
By means of private tales and biblical reflections, Katie Faris walks with ladies, serving to them ponder God’s unchanging character and see how his functions are at work, even within the on a regular basis moments of motherhood.
However God’s jealousy is holy, extra akin to what a loving husband feels for his bride. God loves his folks, and there’s no room within the relationship for idols of any variety. Moses warns the Israelites, “For the Lord your God is a consuming fireplace, a jealous God” (Deut. 4:24), and within the New Testomony, James reinds Christians that God “yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us” (James 4:5).
God is jealous not only for us however for his spirit in us. God is jealous for himself, and he has each proper to be. Theologian Stephen J. Wellum explains, “His identify, honor, and glory are at first and, for creatures, the chief finish to pursue,”1 and J. I. Packer provides, “God seeks what we should always search—His glory, in and thru males—and it’s for the securing of this finish, finally, that he’s jealous.”2
We see this holy jealousy within the Prophets: “I’m the Lord; that’s my identify; / my glory I give to no different, / nor my reward to carved idols” (Isa. 42:8). “My glory I can’t give to a different” (Isa. 48:11). “And I’ll set my glory among the many nations, . . . and I will probably be jealous for my holy identify” (Ezek. 39:21, 25).
God loves his folks, and there’s no room within the relationship for idols of any variety.
In the end, God is jealous for his personal glory. “God’s glory shouldn’t be actually an attribute of God. Fairly, it’s a means of capturing God’s magnificence, surprise, perfection, and blessedness,”3 and we encountered it beforehand once we mirrored on his majesty and holiness. “A technical time period for God’s manifest presence together with his covenant folks”4 within the Previous Testomony, God’s glory is current in Jesus within the New Testomony (see John 1:14).
As God is jealous for his glory, we needs to be zealous for it. That is the one factor God desires us to deal with, to maintain in view as we go about our day. When life will get busy and loud, we will pause and ask, “Am I approaching motherhood for God’s glory? Am I a one-thing mother?”
Bishop J. C. Ryle wrote a basic description of zeal for God. Making use of it to a Christian mother, “[She] solely sees one factor, [she] cares for one factor, [she] lives for one factor, [she] is swallowed up in a single factor; and that one factor is to please God. . . . [She] burns for one factor; and that one factor is to please God, and to advance God’s glory.”5
Might this description be true of you and me.
Notes:
- Stephen J. Wellum, Systematic Theology (Brentwood, TN: B&H Tutorial, 2024), 650.
- J. I. Packer, Realizing God (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1978), 155–56.
- Wellum, Systematic Theology, 665.
- ESV Research Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008), notice on Isa. 6:3.
- J. C. Ryle, Sensible Faith (1959), 130, as cited by Packer in Realizing God, 157.
This text is customized from Each Hour I Want You: 30 Meditations for Mothers on the Character of God by Katie Faris.
Associated Articles
Attributes of God That Mothers Are Not Known as to Emulate
We’re not supermoms, and we had been by no means meant to be. By God’s good design, we’re dependent creatures, and we glance to the Lord for “life and breath and the whole lot” (Acts 17:25).
I’ve Heard It Stated That Motherhood Is a Lady’s Highest Calling
Motherhood is so good. Motherhood was designed by God, and it’s a superb reward from above. However, at first, we’re youngsters of God.
Dad and mom, Your Kids Have been By no means Meant to Give You Identification
In case you are not resting in your vertical id, you’ll look horizontally, looking out to search out your self and your purpose for residing in one thing within the creation
Podcast: The Surprising Sorrows of Motherhood (Katie Faris)
Katie Faris talks concerning the love, pleasure, and heartache of motherhood and the way mothers can expertise God’s consolation and charm within the midst of all of it.
