A jealous God. That’s how He reveals Himself. That's what we have. A God who doesn’t want to play second fiddle to anything in your life. But we have such a hard time hearing the word “jealous” in Exodus 20:5 and not importing into it what runs with jealousy in our lives-that petty self-centeredness that demands that our self be the center of some other self’s life.
Your God is a jealous God, and that’s because he knows that He alone can give you life; with Him alone is there forgiveness; only in Him is there finally rescue from sin, from Satan’s clutches, and from death. He’s the real deal, and so he is adamantly opposed to you putting anything else in that spot-not because it offends his lofty dignity, but because it will fail you, the creature and child whom he so loves. His jealousy is thus only his love being very truthful with you: salvation is found only in him. He wants you to be saved. He wants with all his heart for you to share his joy, his peace, his light, his kingdom, his grace. And he and he alone can deliver such gifts to you.