Do you remember the story of Naaman? He was general of the army under the king Aram. His master valued him because it was by him that God has given victory to Aram. But he had leprosy in its early stages. His wife’s maid was a captive from Israel. She could have been silent but she chose to represent God and tell them about prophet Elisha in Israel.

Elisha listened to the servant girl’s advice and went off with silver and gold and a letter of introduction from king Aram to the king of Israel. From the king’s palace he was sent to Elisha’s humble place. Elisha didn’t even greet him in person but sent his servant to meet him. One humbling thing after another. Naaman was not happy. He did not like the message Elisha sent him either:

“Go to the River Jordan and immerse yourself seven times. Your skin will be healed and you’ll be as good as new.” Naaman lost his temper. He turned on his heel saying, “I thought he’d personally come out and meet me, call on the name of God, wave his hand over the diseased spot, and get rid of the disease. The Damascus rivers, Abana and Pharpar, are cleaner by far than any of the rivers in Israel. Why not bathe in them? I’d at least get clean.” He stomped off, mad as a hornet. (2 Kings 5:10-12, MSG)

Now Nathan had lost his temper. Naatan had had his expectations how his healing should happen. And when it did not happen his way, he was ready to leave. He would not stay and be ridiculed. He was humiliated enough already.

But his servants caught up with him and said, “Father, if the prophet had asked you to do something hard and heroic, wouldn’t you have done it? So why not this simple ‘wash and be clean’?”  So he did it. He went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, following the orders of the Holy Man. His skin was healed; it was like the skin of a little baby. He was as good as new. (2 Kings 5:13-14, MSG)

But thanks to his servants, he surrenders his ego and humbly immerses himself in the murky Jordan seven times. And his skin was healed right then and there.

This got me thinking. How many times…
… do I refuse grace because it does not come in the neat and easy package I want?
… do I refuse help because it comes in a form that I don’t like?
… do I feel disconnected from God because I refuse to humble myself to pray hard?
… do I run from surrendering to God when God’s way is not rational?
… do I walk away from grace by being prideful and arrogant?
Lord, have mercy!

Why do we keep acting like that? Don’t we know better? Because…
We receive grace through humbling ourselves before God.
We receive life upon life in Jesus when we die to ourselves.
We are blessed beyond measure when we surrender to God.

 

Gracious God,
Help me to be humble before you.
Help me to surrender daily to you.
Help me to be open your miracles.
Help me to always embrace your grace.
Because you are holy.
You are worthy of my praise.
You are my everything.
Pour out grace upon grace.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: Has pride or arrogance kept you away from God?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you humble yourself before God!

Giving thanks today for
#621 God’s abundant patience
#622 God always waiting for me to run to Him
#623 God’s ways are beyond our ways
#624 I am not a god
#625 God is wonderful
#626 God performs miracles
#627 blessings come through humbling ourselves
#628 surrendering to God is the beginning of real life
#629 redemptive power of grace
#630 God’s constant presence in our lives
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Image “Naaman goes to Israel for healing from leprosy” courtesy of ochristian.com. Linking up today with Sharing His Beauty & Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday &Soli Deo Gloria and