May 9 – Thoughts on 2 Kings 7-9 & John 1:1-28

It is pretty overwhelming how many times God fights for His people.  From Jericho to Gideon, from Hezekiah to Elisha, Israel continues to come up against their enemies only to find them already defeated by God.  Today, we get yet another example of this Godly provision.

I love that it is 4 lepers, the outcasts of society, those kicked out of the city and forced to live outside of its protection, that find the enemy gone.  In fact, they find the enemy camp intact but deserted and so help themselves to food, a commodity they live without when outside the walls.  And then they find their consciences pricked and go tell the city.  But like the women coming from the tomb of Jesus, they are not believed and so the community sends out others to see.  Sure enough, the enemy has been frightened away by God and the siege is over.

How often do we ignore or at least mistrust news, however good, that comes from sources we consider unworthy?  How often do we lose opportunities to see God at work because we cannot accept His messenger?  Perhaps we could learn to trust a little bit more and in the process find a blessing we did not expect.