Unfaithfulness

This is another word I read in Scripture that confused me, but I didn't realize it until recently. I thought it meant "unbelievingness" and had to do with having doubts. But while doubting is sin in God's eyes, it recently occurred to me that the word means the same thing as the way we use it today--its talking about a spouse being unfaithful. I guess maybe that's obvious to other people but it was a big moment for me. God wants His people to love Him with their whole heart, just like Kurt wants my whole affection and would be jealous if I gave my love in any degree to another man.

So then it makes a lot more sense to me when God says that He is a jealous God. Off yesterday's post, to love the world in any degree is to be unfaithful to God. There are lots of references in the Bible to God's relationship to the Jews and/or the Church being one like marriage. So that creates a very pressing issue...am I unfaithful to God? Do I make Him jealous? I can't take that any less seriously than I would in my earthly marriage.

So what do I love in the world? Where are my affections, really? Often a clue comes in the form of what I tend to get riled up about.

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. ." James 4:1

I get that way about sleep a lot these days, since I've got two little ones.

"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?But he gives us more grace." James 4:4-6

Sounds kind of funny to think about love of sleep being adultery toward God, but I can't deny the fruit of it. I get quick tempered when I expect to have a nap and can't have one, or when I am made to stay up past my bedtime. Its a vicious drive in me, and bears all the fruit of unrighteousness. Fortunately the Lord wants us to be faithful and bear the fruit of righteousness, so I find Him working to rid me of this idol, and teaching me how to yield to His peaceful, gentle, generous Spirit working in me to care for my family. (and it is His Spirit, incidentally, that revealed my lust for sleep to me. Our places of unfaithfulness tend to be very cleverly hidden from our eyes. But God sees them.)