Hearing The Whole Truth

Too often we only want to hear what we want to hear and we can easily miss some of the greatest gift available to us when we do.

I was reminded of this recently when I read the story in the Bible of a Syrian army general who had leprosy but who, on the information provided by a servant girl, found his way to the prophet Elisha seeking healing for his deadly disease.

Naaman was an important man, used to having things provided for him in the time and way he wanted.  When Elisha told Naaman that the cure for his disease was to go and wash himself 7 times in the dirty water of the Jordan River, Naaman was furious. He ready to turn around and go home feeling unfairly treated in this undignified way.

One of his servants saved the day for Naaman because he reminded Naaman of the whole message Elisha had given him:

My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, “Wash and be cleansed!”

2 Kings 5:13

The servant heard that healing was available in the simple act of washing – even though it was not in the way Naaman wished.

Too often we hear God’s commands and they seem to run so counter to the current thinking of our culture.  They seem to restrict us rather.  However, God’s ways are filled with more blessing than we can experience any other way

Listen to what the Lord your God demands of you: Worship the Lord and do all that he commands. Love him, serve him with all your heart, and obey all his laws. I am giving them to you today for your benefit.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13

Loving God, we don’t always understand why You ask us to do things in a particular way but we acknowledge again today that You have much broader wisdom than we have.  You know what’s best and You give us instructions so we can experience what’s best.

Help us to have humble hearts and to act on what you say is right and good, knowing that we will experience benefit, as surely as Naaman experienced healing from his leprosy when he washed in the dirty water he would rather have avoided.  Amen

Let’s hear and follow ALL that God tells us today so things will go well with us.