Reading: II Kings 1 - 5
My Verse: "She said to her mistress, "Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy" (5:3).
This little Israelite girl was a slave. She had been taken from her home, "now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel." She now worked in the home of Naaman, an important man. "Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor" (5:1,2). This little girl "worked in the service of Naaman's wife." So, she was a slave, far from home. Yet, we see how sweet her spirit was.
She chose to continue to believe that God was the God of the universe. She chose to believe that the prophet Elisha was a prophet of the one and true God. And so she was not angry and bitter. She chose to be kind and caring for those around her. This one little verse says so much. Her master, Naaman, the great man was a leper. She was concerned and so shared what she knew. She spoke of someone who could help Naaman be healed.
This, of course, lead to this most wonderful story of Naaman's going to Elisha. Elisha appearing to be rude but telling Naaman what he had to do to be healed. Naaman was offended that Elisha did not speak directly to him but through a messenger. He was also too proud at first to "wash in the Jordan seven times." It was not a grand gesture as Naaman expected. He had to be very humble and wash himself seven times in the dirty waters of the Jordan. It took his servants convincing him to do it.
When he did finally do as Elisha told him he was miraculously healed! The wonderful thing is that it was not just his body that was healed but his spirit as well. Naaman went back to Elisha and said, "Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel" (5:15). He also asked for prayer and and pardon because he knew that when he returned home he would still, as part of his duties, have to enter the temple of Rimmon, the Syrian god. Elisha seemed to assure him that he would be pardoned this duty by saying, "Go in peace" (5:19).
This wonderful story was made possible by the sweet spirit of a little girl who chose to do the right thing. Thank You, LORD God for this reminder of how we are to behave in difficult circumstances. We do need to make a choice. We cannot blame our circumstances for bad behavior. You are at work in our lives, continuously. I need to ever be aware of that.
"God will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go. He will guide me with His eye" (Psalm 32:8).
"The LORD will guide me continually" (Isaiah 58:11).
Thank You for this sweet little Israelite girl!
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
My Verse: "She said to her mistress, "Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy" (5:3).
This little Israelite girl was a slave. She had been taken from her home, "now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel." She now worked in the home of Naaman, an important man. "Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor" (5:1,2). This little girl "worked in the service of Naaman's wife." So, she was a slave, far from home. Yet, we see how sweet her spirit was.
She chose to continue to believe that God was the God of the universe. She chose to believe that the prophet Elisha was a prophet of the one and true God. And so she was not angry and bitter. She chose to be kind and caring for those around her. This one little verse says so much. Her master, Naaman, the great man was a leper. She was concerned and so shared what she knew. She spoke of someone who could help Naaman be healed.
This, of course, lead to this most wonderful story of Naaman's going to Elisha. Elisha appearing to be rude but telling Naaman what he had to do to be healed. Naaman was offended that Elisha did not speak directly to him but through a messenger. He was also too proud at first to "wash in the Jordan seven times." It was not a grand gesture as Naaman expected. He had to be very humble and wash himself seven times in the dirty waters of the Jordan. It took his servants convincing him to do it.
When he did finally do as Elisha told him he was miraculously healed! The wonderful thing is that it was not just his body that was healed but his spirit as well. Naaman went back to Elisha and said, "Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel" (5:15). He also asked for prayer and and pardon because he knew that when he returned home he would still, as part of his duties, have to enter the temple of Rimmon, the Syrian god. Elisha seemed to assure him that he would be pardoned this duty by saying, "Go in peace" (5:19).
This wonderful story was made possible by the sweet spirit of a little girl who chose to do the right thing. Thank You, LORD God for this reminder of how we are to behave in difficult circumstances. We do need to make a choice. We cannot blame our circumstances for bad behavior. You are at work in our lives, continuously. I need to ever be aware of that.
"God will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go. He will guide me with His eye" (Psalm 32:8).
"The LORD will guide me continually" (Isaiah 58:11).
Thank You for this sweet little Israelite girl!
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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