February 17, 2024

Passage Read: 2 Kings 4-7
Meditation Verse: 5:26

Thought

Gehazi didn't like that Naaman, an enemy of Israel, had received blessing from God, and Elisha didn't take any payment from him. He wanted the foreigner at least to leave a blessing in return. And of course, he had brought a lot as a gift to the prophet, if he could help him. It was too much for Gehazi, the temptation and the justification. But he should have trusted his master and left off his greed. Instead, he tricked Naaman into giving him a gift, and received Naaman's leprosy in return. It was not a time for receiving gifts and riches and lands and servants, Elisha told him. It was not a time to enrich oneself. It was a time to serve and warn the people and show that there was a God in Israel.

Application

How easy it is to convince myself that now is a time to think of myself and build wealth and seek comfort and rest and pleasure. But that is not today. That will come when there is no more need to proclaim the gospel or teach my neighbor about God. When all the earth is filled with the knowledge of God, when all can see and know and worship Him, then I will have plenty of time to obtain fields and plant vineyards and build wealth and rest and relax and enjoy the fruit of my labor. That is not today. Today, men still need a witness and a testimony and a warning and a word of God and His coming judgment. More people need to be pressed into service, called out from their personal kingdom-building and sent to build God's kingdom.