Jealousy.

Daughters,

The Lord, He is a jealous God.
The Father, He disciplines His children well.
The Creator, He made us for His own purpose.
My Jesus, He died, yet now He lives.

I look at so many people today who stir the Lord to jealousy. We may claim His grace and try to relish in love, but it's like flirting with other men and then when they ask for your number saying, "Oh, I have a boyfriend."
God is so jealous, sisters, of His beautiful Daughter. If you need more proof look to Israel, Ruth, Paul, even His Son, and see that He has relentless, overwhelming, powerful, LOVE. 
Beautiful girl, look at your life. Do you love Him like He loves you? If you object and claim you love Him more, argue your case! If you have any sense humble yourself before Him and accept His loving arms.

Daughters, my heart aches today at this realization.Our Father longs to see us grow into the woman He envisioned when He formed us in the womb. Yet, we go against His plans, and even curse Him in the process. Our hearts wander away and we fall in love with others who are unworthy of our love.

For me, it's easier to understand something as a metaphor:

A 6 year old girl decides to runaway from home. Today her Father sent her to her room. All she really wanted was to go into the spare room her Dad warned her never to enter. You see, her Father loved to hunt and in this room He kept His guns and other things that would be dangerous for her to be around. Today she snuck into the room when she thought He wasn't looking. He saw her enter the room, He rushed to her and grabbed her to pull her from the room. She cried, complaining He hurt her arm, although He would never harm her. He looked at her sternly, He had a hard conversation with her, and sent her to her room.

As the girl cried in bed, terrible thoughts raced through her head. She began to convince herself that her Father hated her, that she was nothing, but trouble and it would be better if she were gone. She convinced herself He was really just evil and mean and could never love her after how He had treated her.

She made up her mind to leave home and never come back. As she creeped out the window she fell on thorns. She made her way up the street, losing sight of direction more and more as she passed each house. Finally it was dark, cold, and she was totally lost. Her feet were sore, her eyes wet with tears and her stomach empty. She fell to the ground. She remembered her Dad's cooking, how He had taught her to ride a bike, and how He always knew how to cheer her up. How ridiculous of her to ever forget He loved her!

She wanted to go back home. Still, she was so lost and so scared and had no where to go. She started running in any direction, hoping one would help her find her home. It seemed like hours had passed and she made no progress. "Why wasn't He coming for her." She lost all hope again and started to believe maybe He really didn't love her, maybe it really was better for her to run away. Only now she just wished that wasn't true.

That's when the Voices started calling out. Although she couldn't make out what It was saying, she knew that Voice. She wailed and cried as loud as she could, hoping desperately He would hear her. The voice came closer and closer until she saw that flashlight searching her out. She cried harder than she had the whole night until it almost blinded her, and her feet hit the pavement as her little legs tried to pick up their pace. Her Father's arms had never squeezed her tighter and His face was more wet than hers. They clung to each other as if one hole between them would separate them forever. He took her home and buried her in His arms, and she vowed to never leave again.


Daughters, a Father does love you. You aren't junk. You aren't a project. You're confusing discipline with hatred, and obedience with hardship. When you Father looks at you, He doesn't see a burden, He sees a girl, who will someday, with a lot of hard work and love, will become a woman. Don't lose hope, don't forget.

Jeremiah 3:12b-14, 19
“‘Return, faithless Israel,

declares the Lord.

I will not look on you in anger,

for I am merciful,

declares the Lord;

I will not be angry forever.

13 Only acknowledge your guilt,

that you rebelled against the Lord your God

and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree,

and that you have not obeyed my voice,

declares the Lord.

14 Return, O faithless children,

declares the Lord;

for I am your master;

I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,

and I will bring you to Zion.

“‘I said,

How I would set you among my sons,

and give you a pleasant land,

a heritage most beautiful of all nations.

And I thought you would call me, My Father,

and would not turn from following me.

Chelsy