【双语灵修】好的忌妒 Good Jealousy
“不可跪拜那些像，也不可事奉它，因为我耶和华你的神是忌邪的神…” - 出 20:5
忌妒通常不是一件令人愉快的事情。嫉妒的人通常对自己感觉不好，所以他们很容易把别人视为他们不能容忍的对手。他们感受到更受欢迎的人带来的威胁，或者感受到比他们成就更大的人的威胁。
但神的忌妒是不同的。呼召亚伯拉罕和他的后裔（以色列）成为祂子民的主，是独一的真神。这位神藉着救主耶稣，也呼召我们成为神家的一员。祂说，你们是我的子民，我是你们的神。你们是属我的，你们不可有别的神。这是何等美好，因为神爱我们，总是愿意我们得着最好的。
现在，神在跟进落实祂的命令，即要我们单单爱祂。神宣告说，如果我们把我们的爱、崇拜或顺服交给别人，祂就会忌妒。在我们的生活中，任何其他可能放在神前面的事物都是偶像和假神，它们使我们的注意力从我们的创造主和救主的爱和看顾中偏离。藉着耶稣的牺牲，神把我们从必然的毁灭中拯救出来。
难道你不高兴神为你发忌妒，就像一个真正爱你的配偶那样吗？我们的神是一位忌邪的神，祂强烈地爱着那些透过遵守祂诫命来爱祂的人。
祷告
主啊，感谢你用圣洁的忌妒来爱我们。帮助我们成为你满有爱心和信心的子民。我们安息在你对我们的爱无止境的确信中。阿们。
出埃及记 34:8-14
8摩西急忙伏地下拜，
9说：“主啊，我若在你眼前蒙恩，求你在我们中间同行，因为这是硬着颈项的百姓。又求你赦免我们的罪孽和罪恶，以我们为你的产业。”
10耶和华说：“我要立约，要在百姓面前行奇妙的事，是在遍地万国中所未曾行的。在你四围的外邦人就要看见耶和华的作为，因我向你所行的是可畏惧的事。
11我今天所吩咐你的，你要谨守。我要从你面前撵出亚摩利人、迦南人、赫人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人。
12你要谨慎，不可与你所去那地的居民立约，恐怕成为你们中间的网罗；
13却要拆毁他们的祭坛，打碎他们的柱像，砍下他们的木偶。
14不可敬拜别神，因为耶和华是忌邪的神，名为忌邪者。
Good Jealousy
"You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, and a jealous God. . . ." - Exodus 20:5
Jealousy is not usually a pleasant thing to see. People who are jealous usually feel badly about themselves, so they easily see others as rivals they cannot tolerate. They feel threatened by people who are more popular, or by people who have achieved more than they have.
But God’s jealousy is different. The Lord who called Abraham and his descendants (Israel) to be his people is the one true God. And through Jesus, the Savior, this same God calls us to be part of his family. You are my people, and I am your God, he says. You are my own, and you shall have no other. This is good because God loves and always wants what is best for us.
Now God is following up on his command that we love only him. God declares that he will be jealous if we ever give our love, worship, or obedience to another. Any other thing that we might place ahead of God in our lives is an idol, a god that draws our attention away from the love and care of our Creator and Savior. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, God has saved us from certain destruction.
Aren’t you glad God is jealous for you, like a truly loving spouse? Our God is a jealous God, who fiercely loves those who love him, and who show their love by keeping his commands.
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for loving us with holy jealousy. Help us to be your loving and faithful people. We rest in the confidence that your love for us knows no end. Amen.