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 - Selfless Son

Children can be very selfish. Actually we are all selfish, but it’s especially easy to spot in children! So, when children voluntarily share, it’s touching. 

The other day my son, James (4), “earned” some money from his grandmother (my Mom). His cousin, Mark (5), earned a similar amount. While they were playing with their money, James spontaneously decided to offer his money to Mark. Mark kindly refused, saying: “No, James, you earned that dollar!”

The selfless moment of our sons was the highlight of my Mom’s day and touched us all!

Jesus was the perfect selfless son! He didn’t have selfless moments; His entire life from start to finish was selfless! Even through the most excruciating death by crucifixion, He thought and cared for others. 

John 19:25-27         ²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Jesus was in excruciating pain, yet He was able to focus on caring for His mother! What is your and my biggest need right now? Maybe it is some sort of pain, too. Like Jesus, how could you and I selflessly meet the needs of someone else even while we feel lacking?

Alice