Devotionals

I have mentioned before that Psalms 120 – 134 are known as the Psalms of Ascent. These psalms were most likely sung by the Israelites as they traveled (or ascended) Mount Zion to enter Jerusalem’s Temple for worship at three appointed feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.

Today we are looking at Psalm 120. In verse 5 the psalmist mentions Meshech and Kedar. Meshech, is believed to be present day Turkey, and was far north of Israel, while Kedar was a powerful tribe of Arab nomads in the desert east of Israel. The psalmists’ metaphorical use of these two geographical locations would have put the psalmist as living in a barbaric foreign land that was at war, and where the psalmist did not belong.

Right away, within the first two prayerful verses, we see the psalmists’ trust and love for the Lord with a cry for His help. The help the psalmist is seeking is from evil: evil words, liars, deceitful people, and deceptive tongues. In verses 3 – 4 the psalmist shifts from prayer to warning. This warning is for those who stand in rebellion against God, His Word, and His people. God’s people are protected as long as they do as Paul instructs in Ephesians 6:10-20 and constantly wear The Whole Armor of God. The final pieces of the Armor align with verses 3 – 4, “In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” We see in verses 6 – 7 that the psalmist is tired of evil and longs for rest in the Lord’s shalom, the peaceful wholeness of God where there is no evil.

Friends, we can endure the present world, even with the evil around us, because by our faith and salvation in Christ Jesus our eternal future is certain. So, we must trust, love, and rest in God and His divine plan, as we continue to grow even closer to Him today through His Word.

Psalm 120 (NLT)

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

1 I took my troubles to the Lord;
I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.
2 Rescue me, O Lord, from liars
and from all deceitful people.
3 O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you?
How will he increase your punishment?
4 You will be pierced with sharp arrows
and burned with glowing coals.

5 How I suffer in far-off Meshech.
It pains me to live in distant Kedar.
6 I am tired of living
among people who hate peace.
7 I search for peace;
but when I speak of peace, they want war!

Prayer: Lord, thank You for being our shalom, the only True place of rest while evil surrounds us. Holy Spirit, please continue to stir within each of us to hate that which is evil and to cling to the One Who is Truth and Love, Jesus. Help us to remain clothed with every piece of Your armor, today. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

I never cease wanting the people around me to know my heart and my motives to love, protect, and help them in their spiritual journey. The struggle we can face in life is real. Sometimes the Church misses the importance of ministering to believing disciples, because we are more heavily focused on reaching unbelieving hearts. Yet, God clearly wants the spiritual family to have the grace-filled guidance, healing, and help the Holy Spirit administers, as well.

As believers, we must guard our hearts against thinking after salvation we are all set for life. Accepting Jesus is the entry-level; we are assured of eternal life when we commit our lives to Christ. Learning to live and think like Jesus while we follow the Spirit makes us exercise our faith by climbing the transformation ladder toward the glory of the Lord. This exercise takes discernment, trust, and the hard work of Love.

In our passage today from a letter written by John, the apostle reminds us about how God wants believers to know his heart, as well as his motives to love, protect, and help his children who are called to thrive in his Love. John’s first letter is really important, because he reminds believers about the power of light vs. darkness, the love of the Father vs. the love of the world, Christ vs. the spirit of the antichrists, righteousness vs. sin, truth vs. lies, and the Spirit of God vs. the spirit of the Antichrist. In other words, through the apostle John, God wants us to know what is right and what is wrong. The letter has been written to believers, so we will genuinely live out our faith and experience the goodness of God.

Today, many people will be observing Valentine’s Day—a day to celebrate love (romantic, familial, and platonic)—let’s remember God is Love and, no matter how much we love others, nothing and no one should take his place in our hearts. Love is an act of the will, so we have to guard ourselves against worshiping the idols the world has created for people to love more than God. If we love the world more than God, we do not know and belong to Christ. Guard your hearts and remember Jesus is Lord! Blessings for your weekend!

1 John 5:13-21 NLT Conclusion
13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

16 If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. 17 All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.

18 We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. 19 We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.
21 Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

Prayer: Father, thank you for loving us and pouring your perfect love into our hearts. As well, thank you for the assurance of our salvation found only in Christ. We pray for Christ to remain central in our lives; to rule our lives in righteousness. Help us to cast down sin and make us wise in recognizing the traps of Satan. We live for the glory of your name and the advancement of your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Ro 14:17). It is a realm where those who seek the Kingdom recognize and obey the authority of our King—Jesus. The Kingdom is not about a group of perfect saints; rather, the Kingdom is for people who seek to live in a way that pleases God. Christ’s followers are real people who live respectfully among fellow human beings in a sin-filled world. The difference is Kingdom people are keenly aware of the need for God’s mercy and forgiveness; therefore, we choose to speak the Truth in love while pressing on in the transforming grace Christ provides each day. Godliness is the goal.

So, if we look at the Kingdom properly, we will see living for Jesus is a lifestyle of understanding his righteousness and bowing to his authority while listening and obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit who exalts God’s Word. This is what is really means to be a “believer” who is rooted in Christ. It’s all about growing roots that attach to the Tree of Life!

In our passage today, the psalmist (composer) wants us to note the contrast between the godly and the wicked and sing about the goodness of life with God. Again, the godly are not perfect people; they simply want more of God and to do his will. According to this worship leader, the wicked are not only those who commit heinous crimes; this psalmist refers to anyone who walks away from doing the will of God outlined in his Word as wicked—without roots in God.

If we do not have roots in our Source, we cannot quench our spiritual thirst and stay vibrant. If we do not have STRONG roots in God’s Word, we cannot flourish and bear righteous fruit—the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). Godly people have STRONG roots and producing fruit is their goal. So, produce godly fruit and share some with others, today, because God is watching!

Psalm 1 NLT
1 
Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
2 
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.
3 
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do.
4 
But not the wicked!
    They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
5 
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
    Sinners will have no place among the godly.
6 
For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
    but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for watching over the path of the godly. Please continue to cause us to prosper in all that we do and all that you seek for us to become. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

There are so many things that make every person made in the image [likeness] of God special. Within each individual, God has placed gifts and abilities to be used to further his Kingdom of righteous, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Ro 14:17). The saddest part for us—when we come to this saving revelation—is that others we know and love may still be lost in their own understanding of God’s sacrificial love for them. To know Christ, is to passionately want others to know the Lord. Interestingly, when we connect to Christ, he causes us to see how the gifts we have been given can help others know their Maker and experience his acceptance and love for them.

To help us gain some very practical understanding, we need to follow the Lord to Capernaum where—according to our passage today from Luke chapter 5—Jesus deliberately approaches a tax collector named, Levi. During this time in history, the most hated people by the Jews were the tax collectors who sold their fellow Jews out for the gain of money and possessions by working for the Romans—the ones oppressing the Jews. Jesus knows when a heart is ready to hear the Truth, so as he is walking through town, he speaks to Levi to come follow him. Levi leaves everything he has gained in this natural life—except his pen—takes his skills and abilities and walks away knowing he can never return. He must move forward with the One who delivers his children from sin.

Levi quickly becomes convinced Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. In moments, this Jewish man goes from being hated as a betrayer to experiencing the pure love and acceptance of Jesus. He cannot wait to introduce others to the Christ who gave him new life and a new purpose.

What does Levi do? He gives a Messiah “reveal party.” Levi wants to be of service to the One who has saved him. He has the money to throw a grand banquet and the connection with others who need the One he has discovered. He is filled with joy at being able to help others see the Truth.

What is the response of the Pharisees and religious leaders to this party? They condemn Levi, Jesus, and the party attendees, of course. They have completely missed the joy, the message, and the Messiah that filled Levi’s party.

Every day, we are invited to reap the benefits of the joy of our salvation, share the Truth, and help others see the Messiah in us. May today be a great day for God’s Kingdom.

Luke 5:27-32 NLT Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)
27 Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”
31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this lesson from Levi. He left money and possessions behind, but gained so much more in relationship to you. Help us to come to that understanding, as well, when you call us to leave sin behind. Holy Spirit, give us opportunities to share salvation with other. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Well, here I am one year older, today, so I am praying to also be one year wiser! Please Jesus! Each one of us has the potential to be wiser every day, because as we grow in the Truth of Christ’s love, we grow in Wisdom. Let’s spend some time, today, in the Truth.

In our passage today, the psalmist asks the readers to honor and glorify God’s name no matter what we face in life. We need to learn how to abide in God’s peace even when life leaves us hurt and feeling unappreciated. As we learn in verse 3, we must accept God’s loving plan in this life or we may find ourselves in a state of inward bitterness and pain. Our perspective has everything to do with finding genuine peace.

This psalmist exposes the foolishness of idolatry. We can make idols of anything, can’t we? Our possessions can become so dear to us we make gods or idols out of them. We can value the things we have accumulated more than our spiritual growth, transformation, and the time we spend loving others. Even a wrong perspective of the people we love can make gods out of them; which is wrong to do as only God deserves certain places in our hearts.

We become what we worship. If we worship God who is Love, we become like Jesus. If we worship the false gods surrounding us, we become superficial like the fleeting things of the world. When we place our trust in the Lord, we are covered by the shield of his Love and grace. When we place our trust in the world, we are sorely disappointed because it cannot and will not protect us or comfort our hearts.

Only the Lord can bring increase to our lives. So, today, let’s seek to praise God, allow his righteousness to be worked out in our souls, and receive the blessings he alone can bring to us. May we praise God now and forever!

Psalm 115 NLT
1 
Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
    but to your name goes all the glory
    for your unfailing love and faithfulness.
2 
Why let the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
3 
Our God is in the heavens,
    and he does as he wishes.
4 
Their idols are merely things of silver and gold,
    shaped by human hands.
5 
They have mouths but cannot speak,
    and eyes but cannot see.
6 
They have ears but cannot hear,
    and noses but cannot smell.
7 
They have hands but cannot feel,
    and feet but cannot walk,
    and throats but cannot make a sound.
8 
And those who make idols are just like them,
    as are all who trust in them.
9 
O Israel, trust the Lord!
    He is your helper and your shield.
10 
O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord!
    He is your helper and your shield.
11 
All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord!
    He is your helper and your shield.
12 
The Lord remembers us and will bless us.
    He will bless the people of Israel
    and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
13 
He will bless those who fear the Lord,
    both great and lowly.
14 
May the Lord richly bless
    both you and your children.
15 
May you be blessed by the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.
16 
The heavens belong to the Lord,
    but he has given the earth to all humanity.
17 
The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord,
    for they have gone into the silence of the grave.
18 
But we can praise the Lord
    both now and forever!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping us see things through the lens of your love. We trust you and know you love us. Help us place our love and value in spiritual things. Forgive us, Lord, if we have placed anything above you. May we stop caring so much for the things of the world, that we cease to desire the spiritual gifts and grace you have set aside for us. We hold onto our fear of the Lord and seek to glorify your name, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

At Connect2Christ Church our vision statement is: “Bridging the gap between worship and missions through our connection to Christ.” We believe Jesus is the Bridge who connects us in the anointed worship of our eternal King and then sends us out to connect with others in his kingdom mission to the world. To worship God is to bow down in devotion [obedience] and make ourselves available to Christ’s mission of saving humanity. The knees of disciples bow now, but one day every knee should bow in heaven and on earth…to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10-11 NLT). It is such a Gift to connect to our Christ—the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jo 14:6).

At the foundation of the Gospel [Good News] message of salvation is the invitation to bow before the High Priest and King, because only God can save a sinful soul destined for destruction. We are invited to willingly and gratefully bow now, and we should, because bowing later will involve tremendous pressure, suffering, and pain. The Spirit is wooing human beings to draw near and now is the time.

In our Bible Study from last night, we learned bowing to our High Priest enables us to come boldly to the throne of our gracious God to obtain mercy and find the grace [empowerment] to help in our times of need (Heb 4:16). Humanity should run to this High Priest and fall before the Savior! Life will continue to get more challenging and the power of the Spirit is the Helper of Christ’s disciples. Waiting to bow is dangerous, because Jesus will return like a thief in the night [unexpectedly] for his disciples [the Church] and we need to have established and devoted our allegiance to the King before then (Rev 16:15).

Today, we continue in Luke’s eyewitness writings about the Acts of the Apostles and the birth and growth of the Christian church. Acts is the connecting link between the life of Christ and the life of his disciples. Between the gospels and the letters to the churches, we find the Book of Acts and how people were responding to the revelation of the resurrected Christ through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit who brings spiritual life and vitality to willing hearts.

Saul (who is later renamed Paul) becomes an example of the humility that manifests when we recognize the authority and divinity of Jesus. Saul bows the first time under pressure, but after his revelation of the Living Lord, he willingly bows and gratefully gives his life to further the Truth. Saul seeks to live in obedience through the power of the Spirit. The lives of believers [disciples] of Christ should live likewise—as instruments of grace who bow to every opportunity provided, by the Spirit, for the redemption of others.

In our lesson today, we see that bowing reality in the disciple, Barnabas. When others cannot see the Truth of Saul’s conversion and changed life, Barnabas stands up as an eyewitness to the Truth of an obedient bowed life; his faith covers Saul for a season until others can see, as well. Saul spends his life shining the Light of Christ within him to a dark world. Only our living, perfect, and holy High Priest could bring such transformation within sinful human hearts—humanity without Christ.

Acts 9:26-31 NLT
26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! 27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
28 So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. 30 When the believers [disciples] heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.
31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

Prayer: Lord, it is time for your Spirit-filled sons and daughters to display your glorious Light within us and your power to save. Your Word teaches all of creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when you will reveal who your children really are. So, give us holy boldness to witness to the Truth of who you are and how you have brought transformation to our lives. As our High Priest, please pray and intercede for us Lord. Help us to stay rooted in your Word, pray for anointed opportunities to witness, and continually place our confidence in the work of the Spirit to lead and sustain us in your grace each day. As well, keep us strong and vibrant as a spiritual family who willingly and joyfully cover one another in prayer and faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God is always interested in our transformation as disciples. According to Scripture, by the Spirit of the Lord, we are changed from glory to glory (1 Cor 3:18). Think about that for a minute. We are moved by the Spirit from one glorious stage and spiritual realm to another glorious stage and spiritual realm. In other words, we live and function in one period of time [often messy] until it has been made glorious [order out of chaos] and then we are promoted, by God, and moved to another opportunity [often messy] that will become glorious [order out of chaos] by the Spirit for the glory of the Lord. Our spiritual lives grow in the Truth which manifest good things in our natural lives. This is called transformation, friends, and we must stay in step with the Spirit!

The spiritual journey of discipleship is not focused on fixing others. God’s plan is to heal our hearts, as well as help us be an example of the Truth to others. So let’s ask the Spirit to remove the veil of our present understanding and help us see the Light as we ask ourselves some questions. Are we living in our present phase/realm in a way to bring glory to God? Have we embraced, in excellence, the things God has given us to do right now? To the best of our ability, have we been able to shine the Light of Christ as an example of the grace working in and through us any given day?

Truth is what removes the veil from our eyes and helps us understand where our lives need change. To be transformed is to change our presence status in the Spirit for a more glorious one. Yet, we must make the decision to grow in the Truth—in Christ.

Our passage today from the Book of Acts, picks up after Saul, on the Damascus Road, is blinded by the Light, knocked off his high horse [self-deception], and begins to understand the power of his flesh to take him out of the will of God. Saul was living void of the glory. As he recognizes and repents of his pride and self-deception, he is filled with the Spirit of Truth and life begins again. Saul is a new creature in Christ, but he needs to grow in the Truth. The name ‘Saul’ reminded this man of God who he had been and his new name Paul helped him live as a new creature on the road to transformation.

Now, some folks trust this new creature right away and some only see Saul. It will be up to Saul to reveal the Truth of the One who took him from a poor reputation and exchanged shame for the glory. In the meantime, the Spirit will protect God’s new man for the discipleship mission by the spiritual family.

When we gain strength in the Truth at our present stage of glory, we become more powerful in the hands of God. For the folks who want to claim Christ, but go nowhere further as disciples, they will seek to stop the ones destined to reach for the glory yet to come! The mission of Christ will prevail despite the work of the enemy to destroy the Truth!

Acts 9:19-25 NLT Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
19 Saul [renamed later, Paul] stayed with the believers [disciples] in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”

22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 23 After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. 24 They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. 25 So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the mercy and grace you have made available for us as new creatures. We have all failed to continuously live in your Wisdom; we have all spent time demanding our own ways only to have the Truth remove the veil and reveal the Truth of our sin. But, Lord, it is time for us, as disciples, to allow the work of the Spirit in the transformation of our souls. So, Holy Spirit, please bring the transformation we need, because we desire to follow you from glory to glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have you ever just wanted to cry over what might have been if people would just listened to Jesus? Human hearts can be hard and unwilling to listen to the Truth. During these times, we cannot take things as a personal rejection when others don’t want to hear our concerns; free-will is powerful and we all get to choose our path. People have the freedom most of the time to decided what they want whether it is spiritual, emotional, or physical.

We can choose to live righteously and embrace Wisdom or foolishly and reject the Truth. Jesus experienced rejection from his fellow Hebrew people, the religious leaders, his disciples, his family, his friends, and his world; yet, he stayed the course in courage as he trusted Father God. However, Jesus did weep over what might have been if people would have desired a relationship with God that was based on Truth. Let’s not forget, Satan, the spiritual deceiver was present then, just like now.

In our passage from Luke, today, Jesus has made his triumphal entry. Almost everyone was excited to see him approaching Jerusalem—everyone except the Pharisees (Lu19:39). God had such wonderful blessings planned for his people; the opportunity to draw near, be forgiven from sin, and taste the power of supernatural and holy grace. When Jesus thought about the deliverance and peace God wanted to extend to Israel through their Messiah, he broke down and cried for their loss. His tears were not a sign of weakness or a lack of faith; rather, Jesus cried because he knew what their hard hearts would cost them. I treasure this picture of Jesus weeping because he loves the world and wants to spare all his creation the sorrow we tend to bring upon ourselves.

Jesus left and headed for the Temple; he had a holy anger rise up in him, because the very shepherds who were to teach his people the Truth were themselves deceived to the will of God. At the Temple, Jesus cleared out that which was false and misleading and began to teach the Truth…

Luke 19:41-44 NLT Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
41 But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for this lesson, today. Lord, many times we weep for others and feel angry at the work of Satan to destroy lives. Yet, we are not powerless as we travail in prayer and place our faith in your ability to save. Give us courage and strength of faith each day. Help us to be more than conquerors in our Christ. We want to be your sons and daughters who live and speak the Truth in love. Holy Spirit, be our Helper. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Life calls us to look for solutions when we face overwhelming challenges; we need the Wisdom of God in order to handle things. We can face physical, financial, emotional, relational, etc., issues that have the potential to devastate or even destroy our lives. As professing believers, we may face bigger issues with God when we try to take matters into our own hands thinking we know how things should go.

It is difficult for a heart governed by pride to take a humble posture before God; we love to demand our own way. As well, it is devastating for many with money, who begin to realize they cannot buy their way out of their desperation. Scripture has many stories about the difficulties pride and greed bring to human life. We will read about one of those stories, today.

In the Old Testament Book of Second Kings, we read about the life of Naaman—a wealthy military servant for the country of Aram. Naaman is accustomed to dealing with the king and elite people in government; he is honored and respected by the very rich. In fact, Naaman expects everyone to show him deference; pride has his heart but leprosy claims his body. No amount of money can buy him healing and God’s economy is grace.

We do not get to direct the terms of God’s grace. We obey the Word and grace is there to support and supply what is needed. The prophet Elisha is not moved by Naaman’s money or prestige nor is God. There is no favoritism with the Lord; all are welcome to come and receive salvation. Elisha simply brings a willing heart to do the will of God—which is to make Naaman whole. So, Elisha does not play the worldly game of stroking Naaman’s ego or increasing his self-centered pride. God uses Elisha to humble this mighty military man by ignoring his expectations. Elisha does not honor Naaman by even giving him a face-to-face conversation. Elisha simply sends a message to Naaman asking him to go dip himself seven times in a dirty and muddy river. Naaman must decide where to place his faith; it means a redirection of his thinking. God’s thoughts and ways are not our ways! (Isa 55:8-9).

God loves to heal his human creation, so he is not trying to make life difficult for Naaman, but wholeness comes only by faith and God’s Grace. It is the same for us. We all must learn healing and salvation comes solely on God’s terms.

2 Kings 5:1-14 NLT The Healing of Naaman
1 The king of Aram had great admiration for Naaman, the commander of his army, because through him the Lord had given Aram great victories. But though Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy.

2 At this time Aramean raiders had invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naaman’s wife as a maid. 3 One day the girl said to her mistress, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.”

4 So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said. 5 “Go and visit the prophet,” the king of Aram told him. “I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter to the king of Israel said: “With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy.”

7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? Why is this man asking me to heal someone with leprosy? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.”

8 But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in dismay, he sent this message to him: “Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me, and he will learn that there is a true prophet here in Israel.”

9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.”

11 But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” 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! 12 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?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage.

13 But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” 14 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 the skin of a young child, and he was healed!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this testimony from the life of Naaman. This lesson makes it clear our human minds must be renewed, because our expectations of how you will heal us may not be according to your terms and plans. We all need some kind of healing in your wholeness, Lord. So, today, we pray for your grace to fill us and bring us closer to you. Broken lives are made new in your presence. Jesus, you are our Healer and your work is welcome in our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Friends, if you joined us yesterday, you may recall during Pastor Mary’s sermon on “Genuinely Loving Others” she referenced Luke 4:25-26, when Jesus recounted the story of the prophet Elijah and the widow at Zarephath in Sidon, as originally told in 1 Kings 17:8-24. There were approximately 900 years between the events that took place in 1 Kings 17 with Elijah, the widow, and her family and Luke 4 with Jesus’ ministry when He recounts those events that took place within the Old Testament. Jesus used the example of the widow of Zarephath, just as Pastor Mary pointed out yesterday, to reveal that God’s love is not limited to Israel or to any one group of people, His love is made available to all of His creation, as long as His creation will grab a hold of Him and welcome His love into their hearts to bring on going change.

Today’s passage from the lectionary is 1 Kings 17:8-16, but I highly suggest that you continue to the end of verse 24 as this love story has 8 verses beyond our devotion and they are absolutely miraculous. Within this story we see that God’s love ministers to the broken and breaks the barriers of those who are seemingly “outsiders or enemies” due to geographical, cultural, and/or religious differences. God spoke to both Elijah and the widow, two of His children who would have never crossed paths within their own strength. Yet, they both listened to God’s instructions, they obeyed despite having human doubt, and as a result God’s provision and love was revealed beyond what either of them could have ever thought possible.

You and I are called to love our enemies, to reach out to the unlikely, and to be Jesus’s hands, feet, and heart in this dark world, as we share His love. Allow the Holy Spirit to move through you today as you extend the love of Christ.

1 Kings 17:8-16 (NLT)

The Widow at Zarephath

8 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 9 “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.”

10 So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”

12 But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”

13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!”

15 So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. 16 There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being the perfect example of love. Please forgive our unloving ways and allow us to see others through Your lens as You touch our hearts to experience Your love for Your creation. Holy Spirit, quiet our thoughts about others, speak to our spirit so that we know Your love for them, and help us to represent Your love. In Your Name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.