2 Kings 5:10
Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the
Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” (NIV)
There’s a story in
the Bible about a man who was the leader of an army named Naaman. He was a mighty
leader and God had allowed him to be victorious. There was only one problem
with Naaman, and it was that he had an incurable disease. No money or doctors
could help to cure him of leprosy. However, within his household, was a servant
girl from Israel who tended to his wife.
The
servant girl told her mistress that there was a prophet in her country who
could cure her master of his disease. Upon hearing this information, Naaman got
permission from his king to travel to Israel in order to be healed. He took
gifts to give the king in exchanged for his healing. The king of Israel, upon
hearing Naaman’s request, was upset and told him that he was unable to heal
him.
However, Elisha, who was the prophet in Israel, received word that Naaman wanted to be healed, so He sent for Naaman to come to his home. Once Naaman arrived, Elisha never came out himself, but sent his servant to tell Naaman to go to the River Jordan, dip 7 times and then he would be healed. Upon receiving this news, Naaman was bitter. How dare Elisha, not even come out to meet him, but send him on such a crazy quest? Naaman thought to himself that there were other rivers much cleaner than the Jordan. He went away in anger.
After hearing what the prophet had said for Naaman to do, Naaman's servants went to him and said that he would have done much more if asked, so this was nothing for him to do. Therefore, Naaman went to the river and did as Elisha had said. Upon dipping down in the River Jordan the 7th time, Naaman was completely healed. God had worked a miracle in Naaman’s life. By his act of obedience.
Sometimes, we want to give God directions as to how our lives should go. We somehow think that we know what’s best and therefore, God should listen to us. We even tend to get upset with God if he doesn’t give us the promotion we thought that we earned: the spouse that we felt was best, the house that was our dream, the gifts we thought we should have, and so on. Nevertheless, God is the One who created us, and He knows the timing in which the things He has for us should arrive. Yes, it is sometimes difficult when it doesn’t arrive on our time schedule. It
is even sometimes hard to understand why God goes the route He does.
Nevertheless, even though God doesn’t follow the flight plan that we have created ourselves, it doesn’t mean that He doesn’t love us. All it says is that He has something better. Something that’s greater. Something more than our minds could have imagined. We may have been bidding too low whereas God was planning to give us the jackpot. Naaman thought that he knew best, but God had other plans. The act of him going into the River Jordan was an act of humility. God didn’t’ want to cure him in clean water. He wanted to clean him in messy water for a messy situation.
What are you planning that God has said to wait on? What situation do you think you know better than God? Oh, come on! We have all done it even if we don’t want to admit it. That man or woman that we knew we shouldn’t have dated, but went ahead anyway…that was God saying, “I got something better; just wait.” That job that you didn’t get…God was saying, “Just hold on a little longer, you will supervise and not be supervised.” You see what I’m saying? God has you covered. Your leprosy is whatever situation that you are waiting for God to respond too. All you have to do is follow directions once they are given. However, do not go ahead of God. If He leads you down a path, don’t question it regardless of how ridiculous it may sound to you. Just do it! Your leprosy will be gone in your act of obedience.
However, Elisha, who was the prophet in Israel, received word that Naaman wanted to be healed, so He sent for Naaman to come to his home. Once Naaman arrived, Elisha never came out himself, but sent his servant to tell Naaman to go to the River Jordan, dip 7 times and then he would be healed. Upon receiving this news, Naaman was bitter. How dare Elisha, not even come out to meet him, but send him on such a crazy quest? Naaman thought to himself that there were other rivers much cleaner than the Jordan. He went away in anger.
After hearing what the prophet had said for Naaman to do, Naaman's servants went to him and said that he would have done much more if asked, so this was nothing for him to do. Therefore, Naaman went to the river and did as Elisha had said. Upon dipping down in the River Jordan the 7th time, Naaman was completely healed. God had worked a miracle in Naaman’s life. By his act of obedience.
Sometimes, we want to give God directions as to how our lives should go. We somehow think that we know what’s best and therefore, God should listen to us. We even tend to get upset with God if he doesn’t give us the promotion we thought that we earned: the spouse that we felt was best, the house that was our dream, the gifts we thought we should have, and so on. Nevertheless, God is the One who created us, and He knows the timing in which the things He has for us should arrive. Yes, it is sometimes difficult when it doesn’t arrive on our time schedule. It
is even sometimes hard to understand why God goes the route He does.
Nevertheless, even though God doesn’t follow the flight plan that we have created ourselves, it doesn’t mean that He doesn’t love us. All it says is that He has something better. Something that’s greater. Something more than our minds could have imagined. We may have been bidding too low whereas God was planning to give us the jackpot. Naaman thought that he knew best, but God had other plans. The act of him going into the River Jordan was an act of humility. God didn’t’ want to cure him in clean water. He wanted to clean him in messy water for a messy situation.
What are you planning that God has said to wait on? What situation do you think you know better than God? Oh, come on! We have all done it even if we don’t want to admit it. That man or woman that we knew we shouldn’t have dated, but went ahead anyway…that was God saying, “I got something better; just wait.” That job that you didn’t get…God was saying, “Just hold on a little longer, you will supervise and not be supervised.” You see what I’m saying? God has you covered. Your leprosy is whatever situation that you are waiting for God to respond too. All you have to do is follow directions once they are given. However, do not go ahead of God. If He leads you down a path, don’t question it regardless of how ridiculous it may sound to you. Just do it! Your leprosy will be gone in your act of obedience.
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