Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Apr 27th, 2023 Great Expectations by Misty Woodrum

Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 4 – 6 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Luke 9 – 10; Proverbs 27; Psalms 131 – 135

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Matthew 6:33

Read the “0427 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Today’s text contains several well-known children’s Sunday School stories. One of which is the story of Naaman, captain of the host of the Syrians, who was said to be “a great man,” “honourable,” and “a mighty man of valour.” We remember learning in Sunday School of the great faith of the little Israelite maid who had the courage and boldness to speak out. 

Naaman might have been a great man, but he had a problem. Naaman was a leper. The little Israelite maid is often the key Sunday School character in this story for her being young, yet having such abounding faith that she spoke up and boldly proclaimed that there was a prophet of God that could heal her master. The other servants and Naaman were quickly ready to listen to this young girl, collecting a good sum of money and gifts as payment, and then Naaman headed out to find this healing prophet at the word of the maiden. What a testimony she must have had to convince him! This alone is a wonderful, inspiring devotional application; but, there also may be something in this simple children’s story you haven’t considered.

I really want to focus on the next portion when Naaman arrives at the prophet’s  door. Elisha sends out a messenger (vs 10) telling Naaman to go wash in the Jordan 7 times and he would be clean, cured from leprosy. In verse 11 we see this is not what Naaman was expecting at all. He says, “Behold, I thought…”. He then turned “and went away in a rage.” This jumps out as a great conviction. How many times do I enquire something of the Lord and then end up upset because HE isn’t working the way in which I expect? “BUT I THOUGHT”… God doesn’t always work like we think or expect and that needs to be okay because HE is God and His ways are perfect.

“As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.” Ps. 18:30

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” – Ps. 62:5

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – Pro. 3:5,6

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” – Is 55:8

How many times have I asked God for something, prayed over, was broken over, and then saw an answer but it wasn’t what I “had in my head”? We all have all kinds of great expectations in life and then are disappointed when it wasn’t what we imagined. We must be very careful. So much of the time, what we are given is much better; it just looks different than anticipated. We have great expectations: those we date, spouses, children, employers, government officials, friends, church leadership, and the list goes on. 

Naaman had a different expectation and it almost cost him. 

Thankfully the story doesn’t end there for Naaman. His servants come along and basically say, ‘Come on Naaman, it’s worth a shot. He didn’t ask you to do anything complicated.’ So in verse 14 he goes down into the Jordan as is commanded, and is healed. Here also lies a great doctrinal application. Leprosy is a picture of sin. Naaman, though a mighty man, was not able to fix his sin issue on his own. He HAD TO SUBMIT and do what God said. It really was an issue of faith, just like for us today. Often, like Naaman, people are willing and expecting to jump through all kinds of difficult, crazy religious hoops of works in order to be saved; yet God wants each of us to simply yield and be fully submitted to Him by faith and experience the healing (forgiveness) from sin. We cannot go to God on our own terms but must humbly submit to Him. In Romans Paul warns of Israel’s problem with this as well: 

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” – Romans 10:3

In summary:

#1 Have a good testimony like the little maid and speak out by faith.

#2 Beware of your own “great expectations” and remember that God doesn’t work on our terms or like we always think.

#3 When we are able to submit to God, He is able to work. Yield to the Lord, first by salvation from sin, then for the rest of your life in daily decisions.

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” – Ps. 62:5