Lessons From Elisha, Part 11
God will Provide for ALL Your Needs!
There are MANY lessons that we can learn from the prophet Elisha. This is
the eleventh in a series focusing on the life of this great prophet.
"As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said,
'Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send
someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a
quarrel with me!' When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel
had torn his robes, he sent him this message: 'Why have you torn your robes?
Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in
Israel.'"(2 Kings 5:8-9)
A serious quandary faces the king of Israel. The high commander of his most
fiercest enemy's army stands before him, a leper, with a letter from his
king: "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you
may cure him of his leprosy." (2 Kings 5:6)
Put yourself in King Joram's shoes. Your most fierce enemy has just come to
you to heal his commander of leprosy ! I think that in his shoes, I might
have been very frightened! In light of this, his response becomes very
understandable: "Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this
fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying
to pick a quarrel with me!" (vs. 7)
But notice how Joram has just admitted his own limitations. He recognizes
that only God can do what is requested, and he is the first to admit that he
is not God! He needs divine help, and he humbles himself enough to admit it.
This is when he receives the message from the prophet of God: "Why have you
torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a
prophet in Israel." (vs. 9)
My friends, you have probably faced similar situations--situations that you,
or any other human, can simply not handle on your own. Do not despair!
Remember King Joram. Remember that when we humble ourselves enough to
realize we need divine help, then and only then does that help come! So the
next time you are faced with something you can't handle, admit it, and give
it to God! He will provide for all of your needs!
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in
Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:19)
See next Saturday's edition of The Nugget for Elisha, Part 12.
Love in Christ,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Moderator, The Nugget, Scriptural Nuggets ( www.sermonillustrator.org/minisermons/ ), Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org ,