Jealous Love

February 22, 2019

DAILY READING

Revelation 3:14-22
This weekend’s reading: Revelation 3:14-22

FIELD NOTES
If jealousy is sinful, why does God say that He is a jealous God? The Greek for jealous means “red-in-the-face love,” like a person blushing, who is passionately in love with another.  It is like, when I fell in love with my wife, no matter what I was doing, she was on my mind, especially in times I thought I might lose her before we got married.  Many time I flushed red being in her presence.
 
In verse 19 John quotes Jesus saying that he reproves and disciplines those he loves.  The word love, in this case, is agape, unconditional love that has no ends.  Jesus is so in love with us that he would do anything for us, even die for us.  So, Jesus’ rebuke is purely from love, as one seeking a lost sheep, as one willing to give up everything to bring that one sheep home.
 
Even though John records nothing positive about Laodicea, he does report that Jesus loves them just as much as the other churches.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FIELD

• Reflect upon times in which you fell head-over-heels in love with someone so that all you could do is think about that person day and night.
• Reflect upon the fact that God loves you that much.
• If Jesus loves you enough to die for you, what might you want to do for Jesus today?

FAMILY FIELD TALK

• It is good for parents to model how to openly share about their love toward another without embarrassment. Parents, share about how you fell in love with various people as you grew up.
• If children “like” another person, ask them if they’d like to share about that person.
• Be sure to talk about how “that person” is/was on your mind day and night.
• Then discuss how Jesus loves you all that much and more.

PRAYER
Most loving gracious Lord, thank you so much for loving me today.  Please help me live in your love and return it the best way I can through all I do and say throughout this day.  In your gracious name, I pray.  Amen.