Mensa Otabil - There is a God
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We end our journey with Naaman today, Second Kings, Chapter 5, Verse 15. And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him. And he said, «Indeed, now I know there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.» Naaman went to Israel looking for healing, but he ended up getting more than healing; he found God. The healing brought him face to face with the Lord God Jehovah. He went looking for a prophet and found the God who was using the prophet.
That’s a very important discovery. The Holy Spirit used Naaman’s healing to draw him to the Lord. When he was healed, he returned to the man of God. The same Syrian who was infuriated running away from the house of Elisha now goes back to the house of Elisha in appreciation, and this time he sees Elisha. That tells you that what Elijah did was not snobbery; it was an instruction to help him to move his faith from sight to believing the word of God. He acted on the word of God and got his healing; now he goes and sees the prophet Elijah.
I want you to consider Naaman’s words to Elijah. He says, «Indeed, now I know there is no God in all the earth except in Israel.» He saw his healing as an act of God and not the act of the prophet. He didn’t say, «I see there is no prophet in any part of the world except in Israel,» but «no God.» He saw the prophet only as a servant of God, and that’s an important observation. When God uses somebody to bless you, you have to look beyond the person and see God. Appreciate the person for yielding to the Lord, but never give God’s glory to a human being. Naaman did the right thing; he saw that this is the work of God. Naaman also discovered that the God who had healed him was the one true God.
In Syria, he had worshipped a different god, but now he had encountered God and was going to live the rest of his life serving this God. It was going to be a big challenge for him, but it was a challenge that Naaman was ready to take up. When God touches you, learn to go back to Him and give Him the glory. You know, many times God blesses people; they are so excited about what God has done that they run off and never say thank you. It’s like the ten lepers in the days of Jesus who were healed, and nine of them went their merry way, happy that they were healed, which is a good thing, but very ungrateful, not remembering the source of their healing. Naaman was a leper who was healed and went back to say thank you and to acknowledge that this is not just an act of my own eagerness or will, but this is the act of God.
So today, as we bring this lesson to a close, I pray that the same God who helped Naaman will help you, and if you’re seeking for God to touch you, He will touch you. The Lord will meet your needs, the Lord will lift you up, the Lord will strengthen you, the Lord will bring joy to your heart, the Lord will bring peace into your heart. I pray that whatever that problem is in your marriage, in your job, wherever it is, that God will step in and give you a Naaman-like divine breakthrough that totally transforms you and puts you in a better position than you were in before the problem came. Because the God who healed Naaman is still at work today in our lives.
Let’s share in a prayer. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, I acknowledge You as the Lord Most High. May all my pursuits in life lead me to You. In Jesus' name, I pray, amen and amen.» Well, my friends, it has been a joy taking this lesson with you. We start something new tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.