Reading your Bible for Today February 8

February 8: 2 Kings 5:9-14

KJV Key Verse: 2 Kings 5:13
13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

Devotion:
The miracle by Elisha for the woman with the pot of oil is a description of someone who was willing to take God's Word for what it is and obey it. Today's miracle is more along the lines of the reluctant believer; someone who had built up a picture of himself, his self-importance, and was not going to let anyone take it away from him! But that is often the first step which God would have us take – to give up our boastful selves in order for His love to get through to us!

Naaman was a proud man, probably because of his accomplishments and his position now held as captain of the Syrian army. He was not willing to believe that anything in life could be as simple as what Elisha had told him to do. He thought Elisha would have at least shown him some respect! But God does not respect the human personal achievements, but rather the human being who lives within. He wants us to know that knowing Him can be as easy as Naaman's task that day – simply accepting Him for what He is and not arguing about it!

Each of God's commandments in our lives is probably going to get us to do something which we do not at first want to do. Why? Because we get caught up in our own little worlds where we build up the world around us and have that as our protection rather than depending on our Creator! God wants us to be dependent on Him just so we know that He is God and how we owe everything to Him. God looks on at kings and queens in the same manner as He looks on at us. He wants each of us to know we are all equal in His eyes. We may well hold different offices and responsibilities here on earth and should take note of them too – but when it comes to worshipping Him, we are all the same and we all get the same hearing!

God is there to answer all of our prayers – as long as we are willing to let Him!

Points to Ponder:
When people talk to you, how do you treat them?

How are you treating God in your life?