Don’t Miss the Miracle: Obedience X Expectations

Today I would like to share about Naaman, an important Aramean commander who fell ill with leprosy, a feared disease of his time.

A servant girl from his household told him about a prophet in Israel.

Seeking healing, Naaman promptly traveled to meet the man of God, Elisha. The prophet asked Naaman to wash himself in the Jordan River seven times. This sounded outrageous to Naaman: “Aren’t the rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel?” And off he went, determined not to submit to Elisha’s request He was expecting a powerful prayer and laying on of hands. In his mind, he had it all figured out, all planned:

“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.” 2 Kings‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬ 

Hmmm… how many of us have acted like Naaman before?

The Lord can act in so many ways in our lives! Don’t let your expectations blind you to the power of simple obedience. Naaman was expecting a heroic cure. Full of pride and self-will, he could not accept the simple cure of faith and obedience.

He had to humble himself and obey Elisha’s commands in order to be healed. If Naaman had been healed on his own terms, would he have given glory to God and become a believer, as he did?

Oh, how God knows how to humble a heart. The Lord knows exactly how to reach ours.

Obedience to God begins with humility. We must believe that His way is better than our own. We may not always understand His ways, but we must remember:

• ❤️ God’s ways are best
• ❤️ God wants our obedience for our own good
• ❤️ God can use anything to accomplish His purposes

This is God’s mercy... fully available to you and me. Let’s not overlook the simplicity of obedience.

"Heavenly Father, thank You for being a loving Father who always knows what’s best for me. Help me to obey You fully, even when it doesn’t make sense to me. Teach me to trust You in every circumstance. In Jesus’ name, Amen."