Daily Bible Reading Reflections

Don’t Allow “I Thought” to Overshadow “God Says”

Today’s Bible reading is 2 Kings 5 and Acts 10.

Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man. A mighty man of valor held in high esteem. But Naaman was also a leper.

When word reached him that there was a prophet in Israel who might be able to cure his devastating disease, Naaman brought loads of silver, gold, and costly clothes to the very doorstep of Elisha’s house.

And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. (2 Kings 5:10-12)

Since Eden it’s been all-too-easy to allow “I thought” to overshadow “God says.”

  • I know what God said about the fruit of that tree, but I thought…
  • I know what God says about baptism, but I thought…
  • I know what God says about temptation, but I thought…
  • I know what God says about loving my neighbor, but I thought…
  • I know what God says about marriage, but I thought…
  • I know what God says about the church, but I thought…
  • I know what God says about forgiveness, but I thought…
  • I know what God says about the brevity of life, but I thought…

When “I thought” is allowed to overshadow “God says,” pride chokes the potential blessings of submission and we are left on the outside, looking in on the fulfillment of God’s promises.

But [Naaman’s] servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. (2 Kings 5:13-14)

God’s thoughts, instructions, reasons, methods, and timing don’t always make sense to us. He’s blessed us with amazing capacities to think, evaluate, innovate, and reason. But “God says” must always trump “I thought.”

It is a great word he has spoken to us; what good excuse do we have for not doing it?

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