Faith on Whose Terms?


Last week, I posted the wrong set of devotions. During Lent I work ahead, and got ahead - of myself. I posted the devotions that should have gone up this week. So, I'm going to post the one's that should have gone up last week. Sorry for the mess up!
 
Prayer: Dear Lord God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are awesome. Your plan of salvation is perfect. Please help me listen to Your voice, appropriate Your teaching, and increase in my love for You. Let my flesh be moved aside so that Your Spirit may have complete power over my thinking and meditation today. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Read: 2 Kings 5:1-19a
http://www.esvbible.org/2 Kings 5:1-19a

Think about It: Sometimes we want a miracle. The situation is just so bad that nothing else will do. And not only do we want a miracle, we want it exactly the way we envision it. We have a plan and an idea as to how this can best work out; problem solved!

Naaman is in a desperate situation. He is a social outcast because of his disease. Every aspect of his life is hampered by leprosy. (This could have been any debilitating skin condition from actual leprosy, known today as Hansen’s Disease, or any number of other skin ailments.) And as far as he knows, there is no cure or treatment. Then a little slave girl suggests he visit the Prophet Elisha in Samaria. She is quite sure that because the prophet knows God, he will be able to help. Her faith makes her bold to share what she believes. Naaman, filled with hope goes to see Elisha, bearing gifts that he believes will entice the prophet to help him; and he goes with certain expectations. Much to Naaman’s disappointment, Elisha doesn’t wave a magic wand, recite strange incantations, or even come out to greet him. Sight unseen, Elisha tells him to dip himself in the Jordan 7 times and he will be healed. A very simple task, right? And yet Naaman is “in a rage.” His expectations were not met! Where is his magic show? Where is the hand waving? God did not live up this his standards. Fortunately for Naaman, he allows himself to be convinced that he’s been asked to do a simple thing and so he does it, thus securing a healing from the Lord.
     
This is an important story for us to study. We have all kinds of expectations of God, some spoken, some kept to ourselves. And when God doesn’t perform the way we think we should, we are disappointed and  angry. Surely He must know that our plans are good ones. Why wouldn’t He graciously accept our plans and do what we say? Doesn’t He know that our way is the best? Even as you read the words, you know they are ridiculous. Why would God, who always means us well, lower His standard of care to meet our puny expectations? Who among us would come up with a plan that would mean the shedding of innocent blood for our sins? And yet that is God’s perfect plan and meets the demands of His purity and justice. Learning how to step out of God’s way and see His plans take shape in our lives can be exciting and faith building. The story of Naaman helps us see the wisdom of that path.

Prayer: Dear Lord, when I try to tell you how to be God, please pull me up short! Teach me how to have trust in Your power and ability to take care of every situation in my life perfectly, without my advice or counsel. Help me to lay my problems before You without any expectations other than watching You work out Your own plan. In the name of my Savior I pray. Amen.

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