2 KINGS 5:2-3

Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

TO PONDER

If you are not familiar with the story, I suggest you take the time to read it in 2 Kings 5:1-19. Naaman is head of the army of Aram and a close confidant of the King of Aram, but he has a dreaded skin disease that doesn’t seem to be contagious. Obviously the disease is distressing to Naaman and his family.

His wife also had a slave girl who had been captured during a raid on neighbouring Israel. The thing that amazes me about this story is firstly that Naaman’s wife would take the advice of a slave girl, then the head of the Aram army would also listen to a slave girl and finally the King of Aram would listen to and act on the advice of a slave girl.

What eventually happens is that Naaman is healed of his disease and dedicates his life to now worshiping Yahweh, the god of the Israelites. We are not told, but the expectation is that his whole family follow him in this worship.

To bring about the transformation in Naaman’s life, the un‑named slave girl didn’t preach a sermon or give a long theological discourse, she just pointed to the one who could bring about the healing change. God did the rest, leading Naaman eventually to the prophet, Elisha, and to his miraculous healing.

We too, no matter how insignificant or unequipped we may feel, can be used by God in very simple ways to point people to Jesus, and then let the Holy Spirit work in their lives with his transforming love.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please lift from me all the fears and insecurities I have of talking to others about you, and give me the courage to share with them what you have done in my life, and then trust your Holy Spirit to take it from there. Amen

Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping