Christian Living

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How do you react when you read or hear a story about a man or a woman? Do you hastily draw conclusions,positive/negative?It is even possible that you are cautious in arriving at a decision about such a person.One thing that is not always considered is to ask this salient question:what do I share in common with this fellow?Which of his/her behaviour do I portray?
Naaman is a replica of many professed christians.We read about this man in 2Kings5:1 thus,
"...Naaman,the commander of ... army ...through him the Lord had given Aram great victories.But though Naaman was a mighty worrior,he suffered from leprosy."
This leprous mighty commander heard about the God Israel working miracles in the life of a prophet,Elisha,through a slave girl serving his wife(verses 2-3).
This man proudly displayed his wealth when he was visiting the man of God.Verse nine reads,
"So Namaan went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha's house."
With all his might,wealth and fame,the leprousy remained
Thank God with whom nothing is impossible.The Prophet remained inside but sent a messenger to him thus:
"Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River.Then your skin will be restored,and you will be healed of your leprousy."(verse10).
That was God's determined means of healing Naaman.Do you know what?The man was in his own assessment belittled by Prophet Elisha's failure to personally attend to him as a very important personality from a foreign powerful country.
The man had a list of "the right steps(procedure)" he expected the man of God to follow to heal the leprosy.Hear him in verses eleven to twelve:
"I thought he would certainly come out to meet me"(as a great man) he said,"I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me!
Aren't the rivers of Damascus,the Abana and the Pharpar,better than any of the rivers of Israel?Why shouldn't I wash in them and be healed?..."
Do you blame this man? Naaman is a very good replica of so many children of God.Are you suprised?As a child of God,when you pray to your Heavenly Father,do you not have a list of steps of how you"think" God will "certainly" answer as you "expected" Him to move His mighty Hand? Are you sure you do not have a "better" solution from the Lord your God than the one He has given?
The truth of the matter is that you will stay too long in your problems(leprosy) or possily die in it if you want to dictate how exactly you want God to do it.Only yield to His commands.Do what He wants you to do the way He wants you to do it when He wants you to do it.You will never regret it.What happened to Naaman at the end when he humbly obeyed God?
"So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times as the man of God had instructed him.And his skin became as healthy as a young child's and he was healed!" 2Kings 5:14
Therefore,go and humbly obey God!

All quotations were taken from New Living Translation.Second edition.Tyndale House Publishers,Inc.

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