Thursday Devotional - Faithful God in Judgment (4/20/23)

What do you think happened to Gehazi after he deceived Naaman and stole from him? Did Elisha ever find out? How about Naaman?

II Kings 5:24-27  When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.

²⁵ When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”

“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.

²⁶ But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? ²⁷ Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.

Gehazi got caught quickly and received swift judgment! I often wish God would do that with other people who commit horrific crimes and wickedness. God is the Judge of all. His timing is perfect and His judgment is purposeful. He is also loving, compassionate and long-suffering. He gives people opportunities to change. I often don’t understand His timing of things in my finite brain. Yet, I can trust He is in control!

Gehazi witnessed so many astounding miracles and yet chose not to trust God and His ways and His time (like Judas with Jesus). He had numerous opportunities to join in God’s work but missed out on being part of the blessing and being blessed himself!

As we cringe at all the evil in the world, will you and I trust God’s timing and plan for His judgment of sin? We can be thankful He is patient with us when we sin. He has actually judged all sin on the cross, if we choose to accept Jesus taking our place for sin! For those who don’t accept Jesus’ sacrifice, there is eternal judgment coming. Are you and I going to be like Gehazi – try things our way and reject God’s ways and timing? Or, are you and I going to be like all the other servants in Naaman’s story that believed God, trusted His ways and did their part to point others to Him?

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God Despite Unfaithful Servant (4/13/23)

Would you be motivated to go out and steal after witnessing a magnificent miracle? I think I’m usually motivated to do the opposite – praise God and be generous with others! Well, Elisha’s servant wasn’t too happy with the way Elisha rejected Naaman’s gifts after God miraculously healed Naaman.

II Kings 5:19b-24                After Naaman had traveled some distance, ²⁰ Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

²¹ So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked.

²² “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’”

²³ “By all means, take two talents,” said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. ²⁴ When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.

Wow! I can’t believe Gehazi! I see a correlation between Gehazi and Judas. Both men watched God/Jesus perform amazing miracles, yet focused on what was in it for them in the short-term. God had been faithful to them and to those around them, yet it wasn’t enough.

How about you and me? Maybe we aren’t motivated to steal, but maybe we  wonder what’s in it for me, when is it my turn or why God doesn’t do something that “big” for me? Instead of focusing on ourselves, let’s praise our faithful God when we see an amazing miracle in the life of someone else!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God for Final Dinner (Maundy Thursday 4/6/23)

If you knew you only had one more meal to share with close family and friends, what would you do?  What would you plan to eat, where would you plan to eat it, and what other activities would you try to squeeze in?   Would you plan a big party at a banquet hall or offer to clean the bathrooms at church?

Let’s see how Jesus spent His last meal with His disciples…

John 13:1-17    ¹It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.  ²The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. ³Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" ⁷Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." ⁸"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." ⁹"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" ¹⁰Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." ¹¹For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. ¹²When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. ¹³"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. ¹⁵I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

This is probably a familiar passage, but did you realize that washing the disciples feet was one of the last things Jesus did the day before His death?  The rest of chapter 13 through chapter 17 include specific instructions, promises, prophecies, prayers, and encouragement Jesus gave to his disciples at this final dinner.  So how are we, today, to do as Jesus did? 

I heard about one believer who decided he would wash the car of those that visited his house.  Even when two couples came to his house just to carpool to a restaurant, he snuck outside and had their car washed while his wife was interacting with them inside.  Amazing!

What fellow believer will you and I humbly serve this Holy week?  How?

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God through an Enemy Ruler (3/23/23)

Remember where Naaman was from? He was a ruler for the enemy king of Aram!!! Look how our Faithful God worked in his life to not only heal him physically, but spiritually!

II Kings 5:17-19      ¹⁷ “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. ¹⁸ But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”

¹⁹ “Go in peace,” Elisha said.

Naaman wasn’t just grateful he was healed; he had a complete heart change. He met the true God and wanted to live for and worship only Him! As a result, God used Naaman to take back to his country evidence of who the True and Living God is! It will be exciting to see in heaven who all Naaman influenced in “enemy” territory.

Like Naaman, how has meeting God motivated you and me to live for and worship only Him? Where might He want to use you and me to influence others, even in “enemy” territory? 

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God through the Holy Spirit (3/16/23)

Remember how angry Naaman was??? I think the Holy Spirit humbled him and he listened to the advice of his servants.  

II Kings 5:14-16 ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

¹⁵ Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”

¹⁶ The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.

I think God used the frustrations in Naaman’s life to prepare him to understand who the Living and True God is! Now that Naaman is healed, he does truly acknowledge God and gives God all the glory!!!

How might God be using the Holy Spirit in your life to humble you through a frustrating situation? Like Naaman, let’s allow God to change our anger into humble submission to His will, even when what He asks us to do doesn’t make sense.  

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God through More Servants (3/9/23)

Elisha seemed unhospitable and unwelcoming to Naaman, especially after intentionally asking the king to send Naaman to him!!! However, I think Elisha was behaving this way to make sure all the glory went to God Most High!

II Kings 5:10-13 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.”

¹¹ But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.

¹³ Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 

Our Faithful God used even more servants to accomplish His purposes and plans in this situation! He had them be bold and brave to challenge their master in his fit of rage. Maybe the servants knew the character of the Israelite servant girl and had believed what she had told them about her God.

The way God was responding to the need was certainly different than what anyone expected. I think God was using these frustrations to prepare the heart of Naaman and the hearts of those around him to receive a greater blessing than mere physical healing!

I know I can act like Naaman and get angry when prayers don’t get answered my way or in my time. However, God is still actively working! We can anticipate His greater purposes!   

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God through a Bold Prophet (3/2/23)

Word of the King of Aram’s letter must have travelled fast! Somehow Elisha knew about it before Naaman left the king of Israel!  

II Kings 5:7-10    ⁷ As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”

⁸ When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹ So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 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.”

This was a bold move by Elisha, as the King of Israel was probably Jehoram, the son of wicked king Ahab. Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, had tried several times to kill Elijah (Elisha’s predecessor).

Elisha had compassion for this foreigner, though, and cared about Naaman’s spiritual and physical wellbeing. He also, and maybe most importantly, cared about God’s name and reputation. When Elisha said “Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel,” I don’t think he was pridefully talking about himself. I think he was saying the God of Israel is the true and living God that is still actively working through His servants.

Like Elisha, when have you and I boldly stood for God’s reputation? Where might He want to use you and me to boldly stand today for who He is and what He has and can do?

Alice

Thursday Devotional (a day late) Faithful God through an Enemy King (2/24/23)

We had no internet yesterday because of the ice storm (and no school, so I took the day off). Sorry this is a day late! I guess I could have posted it Wednesday night when I wrote! 

A caring captive spoke up for the benefit of her captor, as we saw last week! Naaman’s servant confidently told him where he could find healing for his leprosy. Not only did Naaman believe her, but so did Israel’s enemy king, the king of Aram!

II Kings 5:4-6     Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. ⁵ “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. ⁶ The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

Even though the king of Aram misunderstood WHO could heal Naaman, God faithfully used him to compassionately act on behalf of his commander. He could have viewed this as a dangerous ploy by the servant girl or a risky encounter with the king of Israel. Yet, he boldly wrote a letter and sent his commander!

Where might God want to use you and me to speak up or write a letter for the benefit of someone else? Maybe we’re afraid it’s too risky or won’t help. Our Faithful God can use our small actions (at His direction) to accomplish His BIG plan.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God through a Servant Girl (2/16/23)

 It’s amazing to see God miraculously provide for the needs of His people and His followers (like we have the last few weeks), but what about the enemy of His people? Does God ever miraculously provide for them?

If you know the story of Elisha and leprous Naaman, the answer is “Yes!”

I’d like to pick apart this familiar story over the next few weeks, focusing on how God used many people in small ways as part of His compassionately BIG restoration of Naaman, the foreign enemy.

II Kings 5:1-4     Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.

² Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. ³ She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

⁴ Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.

Several things stand out to me about the servant girl. She was compassionate and caring (rather than bitter and revengeful about her plight). She was bold and brave to speak up. She was confident in the God of Israel and what He could do through the prophet Elisha. She also must have been trustworthy for Naaman to even consider what she said (as a foreign and female slave).

What about you and me? Where might God want us to speak up and share even a simple truth about Him? Our Faithful God may take a simple truth we speak to be part of accomplishing a BIG plan!  

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God versus Apprehensive Servant (2/9/23)

Was Jesus the first person recorded in the Bible to miraculously feed a large crown from a tiny bit of food? Surprisingly, no! Elisha was also used by God to miraculously multiply food.

II Kings 4:42-44 ⁴² A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said.

⁴³ “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked.

But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” ⁴⁴ Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.

Last week we saw this large company of the prophets, that were staying with Elisha, fed by a mysterious pot of stew. This week they are generously and miraculously provided food! God faithfully and compassionately provided for the needs of His followers.

I was apprehensive about how to handle numerous activities this week with sick kids. However, God faithfully and timely answered my prayers for discernment and direction!

How about for you? How has God faithfully provided for your needs this week?

Alice