The Works of God

There is NO GOD IN ALL THE EARTH BUT IN ISRAEL is the point of 2 Kings 5.   A pagan-worshipping commander of a foreign, hostile army has just proclaimed the God of Isreal as the single god of the earth.  And he has declared this before his entire company!

God orchestrated everything – from the success Naaman experienced to the leprosy he had to the slave girl being placed in his house to the King of Israel’s robe-tearing response to the humble common sense of Naaman’s own servants to the cleansing in the river itself.  Why? So that Naaman could have this understanding of God which, like the healing of his leprosy, was impossible but for God’s granting it to him.

And, as parents, we also have strange sets of circumstances surrounding us because of our childrens’ disabilities, but with an assurance that Naaman did not have:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

You may be thinking, “that is all well and good for Naaman because he was cleansed of his disease.  Miracles tend to encourage people to make much of God. I would make much of God if that happened to me or my child.”

Not always:

And as he (Jesus) entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.

Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”  Luke 17-12-19

As in 2 Kings 5, a foreigner is given understanding.  The cleansing is certainly a gift.  But faith is the much greater gift.  If you have faith in God, you have already been given the better gift.

Two more sections to go on 2 Kings 5:  why Elisha refuses the gifts offered by Naaman, and how being in the presence of Godly men is not the same as embracing God personally.