In the Morning

Wide awake. That describes my state of mind at 4 AM Chicago time. I find that I wake up earlier than usual whenever I travel. It's like I don't want to waste a precious moment of my "vacation" time.
My morning devotions were based on Beth Moore's study Breaking Free, where I focused on Exodus 20:1-21. Here are some of the highlights that I picked up:

• Godly jealousy is being jealous for someone, not of someone. 
• God is jealous for me for my highest good
•  "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above  or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me..." Exodus 20:4-5 (New American Standard translation)
• The original Hebrew word for visiting as in used in this Scripture is paqadh, which means to inspect, review, number...It is also used for taking a census.  The way I understand it, God can take a census and count all the times the consequences of the parents' sins can be seen in the next several generations. He can count those who have been negatively affected by the sins of their parents or grandparents. 

I find the following verse from Exodus 20:6 very comforting:
"...but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."
The richest inheritance that I can ever receive from my parents/grandparents is a treasure of Godly habits, insight into God's Word, and prayer. At the end of the day, what can beat God's lovingkindness?