January 25th, 2023

Do you ever feel like you're missing the connection between what God is asking you to do and the issue you have?  There are many times when we sense a nudge from God to do something, or to stop doing something—but it doesn't always make sense.  He rarely tells us why.  And then, often the thing he's asking us to do is very uncomfortable.  When we can't make the connection between what God is asking us to do and the situation before us, our default response is, "Forget it!"

In 2 Kings 5, we read of story that deals with this very issue.  Naaman found himself in that exact situation.  He was struggling with leprosy, which is an incurable skin disease that would eventually take his life.  He was so desperate, we're told he was willing to go to his enemy with the hope that someone in Samaria could heal him.

He thought that Elisha the prophet would come and stand before him, wave his hand over the spot on his arm, call on the name of Elisha's God, and then he would be healed.  Instead, Elisha simply sends out his servant to tell Naaman to go wash in the Jordan River seven times.  Naaman walks away angry.  But thanks to some servants who were willing to talk some sense into him, Naaman decides to give it a try.  What did he have to lose, really?  On the journey to the Jordan River, I imagine Naaman was thinking to himself, "What's the point? I don't need a bath.  I need to be healed of this skin problem."

Naaman was healed.  But the most fascinating part of this story isn't that Naaman went home rejoicing over the fact that he was healed.  He went home rejoicing that he found God.  Look at what he says— "Now I know for certain that there's no God anywhere on earth except in Israel." (2 Kings 5:15). He showed up needing to be healed; he left knowing God.  He showed up with circumstantial problem; he left spiritually restored.  He showed up hoping someone could change his leprosy problem.  God showed and changed Naaman.

It's crucial for you and for me to understand that this is where God wants to take us over and over again.  God longs for our faith and his faithfulness to intersect.  Because when our faith and his faithfulness intersect, something will happen in you that will overshadow what happens around you.  When your faith and his faithfulness intersect, you meet God and God changes you.  Like Naaman, you go, "Now I know!  Before I didn't know, but now I do!"

The truth is you and I never know what hangs in the balance until we trust God.  We might think we know what hangs in the balance, but we really don't.  See, the reason God will nudge you and ask you to do something that will take you out of your comfort zone is to facilitate trust.  And trust is needed for our relationship with God to work.

So let me ask you—where is God nudging you?  What has he been asking you to do lately or even for the past few years?  What do you really have to lose by trusting him?  Why not give it a try?

Have a blessed week!
Pastor Michael