So, am I saying that Israel stumbled so badly that they will never get back up? Certainly not! Rather, it was because of their stumble that salvation now extends to all the non-Jewish people, in order to make Israel jealous and desire the very things that God has freely given them. Romans 11:11 TPT

I had the immense pleasure to spend the weekend in the midst of a group of women who love Jesus fiercely and as I am reflecting on our time together, Romans 11:11 came to mind.  I understand the context of the scripture is the restoration of Israel and I would hate to bend a scripture to make a point stick, but bear with me.

The Hebrew word for jealousy is parazēloō which means to be jealous of, or to be provoked to emulate.  One definition for the word emulate is “to equal or approach equality with”.  Jealousy is a word that immediately causes us to flinch.  It’s a negative emotion to be avoided at all cost…yet the Lord saves us gentiles in order to provoke the Israelites to jealousy.  The purpose is that they will see the goodness of God displayed in our lives, so that they would desire it for themselves and by emulation, enter into their destiny and promises.  Their salvation in no way, shape or form devalues ours, it robs us of nothing and it doesn’t lessen the impact of soteria for each one of us.

In the same way, I believe the Lord will send people across our path in order to provoke us to jealousy.  Exodus 20: 4 – 6 reads like this: “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”  The Lord is jealous for us and I believe He wants us to be jealous for more of Him.  Let me explain…

I have a friend who, if you squeezed her, would have joy come out of her pores.  When I met her, I was the saddest, broken, and probably the most depressing person to be around.  My cup was always half full.  I saw her joyful exuberance and knew that I needed what she had.  She never lectured me on the art of being joyful, she didn’t share steps to follow or suggested a book to read.  She just rubbed shoulders with me, and as we spent time together, as I blessed her and walked with her a while, se rubbed off on me.  Can I confess…even now when someone comments on the joy that I have, I have to suppress the urge to check whether someone is standing behind me.  Little did I know that she, in a very roundabout way, prepared me for the hardest season I ever had to navigate.  If it wasn’t for the impartation of joy, I would have not survived, emotionally, spiritually or even physically.  I needed what she had to prepare me for what I didn’t even knew was coming.

This weekend I shared a room with three women the Lord had handpicked to be in my world.  There was the kind, gentle one who exudes peace and tranquillity and kept me from hyperventilating just by sitting with me.  She taught me to be considerate by bringing a small, but thoughtful gift…the stress ball was a particularly good choice and we had a good laugh!  She provokes me to jealousy…I want to be able to rise above the fray and just be.

Then there’s my prayer warrior friend.  She is dynamite in the spirit, yet elegant, soft-spoken and usually somewhere on the perimeter.  She’s not hiding, she is on patrol.  She watches, she discerns and then she prays without drawing any attention to herself.  I learned that she prays in her sleep…what a comfort to lay awake and hear a warrior pray in the spirit through the night watch.  I want to emulate her and be okay with being an unseen and unsung powerhouse that places a hedge around people even when they don’t even realise it’s there.

Let’s not forget my friend who is exuberant in praise and worship.  She loves the atmosphere of heaven, she can detect the presence of the Lord like no other, where she becomes unashamedly undone in His presence.  She is the one that sees and acts.  I often saw her having quiet conversations, imparting wisdom and brought healing.  I want to be like that too.  

I had the pleasure of rubbing shoulders with ladies who serve, unconditionally, with so much love, taking great care to bring the fragrance of heaven into the world around them.  I met a general of the faith, a woman of great spiritual stature who is so confident in her Lord, brave, fearless and someone I knew would not tolerate compromise or anything flaky.  I saw her and knew that she was a woman who would walk alone if she had to, as long as Jesus walked with her.  She carries an authority that is evident, even at a distance.  She is wise, she speaks truth and even if she dressed me down a thousand times, I would still love her because I recognised her great love for the Lord and His body.  The words she spoke is a great treasure  and I want what she has.  

For all of these ones and the many more I haven’t mentioned, I am so grateful.  The younger ones, full of vitality and strength, the older ones full of wisdom and experience…everyone carries something that provokes me to jealousy.  

So when I say I want what they have, I mean it as the greatest compliment I can pay them.  I know some of their stories, but even for those stories I haven’t heard yet, I have been around long enough to know it came at great cost to them.  I know each ones of these had to make hard choices, overcome obstacles and heartaches and everything else the enemy throws at us to stop us from being who and what we are destined to be.  So when I say I want what you have, I have already counted the cost, and I am prepared to pay the price, because I see what you bring to the body…you heal, you deliver, you teach, you cover.  You have something of what the Lord Jesus paid for already…am I am a “whosoever”. Like David, I say  “No, but I will certainly buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing.” (2 Sam. 24:24). I don’t have much to offer in return, but such as I have…it’s yours.

Ladies, your radical obedience and your unfailing trust in the One that made it all possible, is a beacon of light and I bless you for every bit of light you impart into my world.  This is true for the ones I have know for a while, the ones I just met and every other woman I am bound to meet as we journey towards our eternal home.