Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

November 19
Wednesday


OUT OF
OPTIONS?

READ:
2 Kins 5:1-3, 9-15
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Now I know that there
is no God in all the
earth, except in Israel.
__2 Kins 5:15
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As ancient Syria's mightiest military commander, General Naaman had all the benefits the empire could offer: influence, affluence, and power. All, that is, except for health! Naaman was a leper (2 Kings 5:1-3).

In contrast, the servant girl in the general's household had no options or power at all. As a captive from an army raid, she had been forced into a lifetime of slavery (v.2). But she did not permit herself to be overcome by despair and bitterness. Rather, she rose above her no-option estate to serve wholeheartedly the best interests of her master.

This servant girl didn't see her master's leprosy as God's punishment but as an opportunity to point Naaman to God's prophet in Samaria (v.3). Her recommendation led to Naaman's complete helaing. He declared, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel" (v.15).

Today, many people have abundant options. Others, however, have their choices curtailed by poverty, poor health, or other adverse circumstances. When a crisis comes, even their limited options evaporate.

Yet one choice always remains. Like Naaman's servant girl, we can still choose to serve God and point others to Him__regardless of our limited circumstances. __Albert Lee
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``````````````````'Tis mine to choose if self shall die```````````````
```````````````````````And never rise again;````````````````````
````````````````'Tis mine to yield the throne to Christ``````````````
``````````````And bid Him rule and reign. __Christiansen```````````

Facing an impossibility
gives us the opportunity to trust God.

*************Today's Bible REading __ 2 Kins 5:1-3, 9-15***********

1 Now Naaman,
commander of the army of
the king syria, was a great
and honorable man in the
eyes of his master,... but a
leper.

2 And the Syrians had gone
out on raids, and had brought
back captive a young girl
from the land of Israel. She
waited on Naaman's wife.

3 Then she said to her
mistress, "If only my master
were with the prophet who is
in Samaria! For he would
heal him of his leprosy."...

9 Then Naaman went with
his horses and chariots, and
he stood at the door of
Elisha's house. 10 And Elisha
sent a messenger to him,
saying, Go and wash in the
Jordan seven times, and your
flesh shall be restored to
you, and you shall be clean."

11 But Naaman became
furious, and went away and
said,... 12 "Are not the...
rivers of Damascus, better
than all the waters of Israel?
Could I not wash in them
and be clean?" So he turned
and went away in a rage.

13 And his servants... said,
"My father, if the prophet
had told you to do something
great, would you not have
done it? How much more
then, when he says to you,
'Wash, and be clean'?" 14 so
he went down and dipped
seven times in the Jordan,
according to the saying of
the man of God; and his
flesh was restored like the
flesh of a little child, and he
was clean. 15 and he returned
to the man of God... and
stood before him; and he
said, "Indeed, now I know
that there is no God in all the
earth, except in Israel...."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The healing of Naaman illustrates a recurrent theme in the Old
Testament. God never intended His blessing to be limited to Israel.
Indeed, through Abraham He blessed all the families of the earth
(Gen. 12:1-3). __Dennis Fisher
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