A Jealous God

# 7 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 1:6,7 And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb. 7 So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat. “Her rival.” The one who was battling for the affection of Elkanah. Year after year, rubbing it in to Hannah. “Hey Hannah, see all these kids? Proof positive that your man is spending some very intimate time with me! Ummmm, where's your proof?” Year after year, feast after feast, and what was meant to be a time of joy, was really an uncomfortable mess. I mean imagine eating at a table where all this was going on? One rival throwing digs at the other, and the other sitting at the table but refusing to eat, just sobbing away. I bet Elkanah wished he had a man cave to run off to! While you and I might tend to speak harshly of Penninah, let's look a little deeper here. The Hebrew words used here for “provoking severely”, are the same words that God uses to describe His feelings when His people turn to idolatry! Let that sink in for a while. When you and I allow other rivals to vie for and capture our affection, we are doing the exact same thing that Peninnah was doing to Hannah. And God weeps at the table. Oh beloved, let us understand that our God is a jealous God. Let us stop provoking Him to jealousy as we foolishly put other things before Him. Thankfully God sent His Son to the man-cave, and on the third day he rolled the stone away, to assure us that even our sins of idolatry can be forgiven. Father, help me to rid my life of any and all things that would rival my affection for You.