The Test of Obedience

 March 1

"And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying,
'Go and wash in the Jordan seven times,
and your flesh shall be restored to you,
and you shall be clean.'”
2 Kings 5:10

The context:

A man came to Elisha the prophet seeking to be healed of leprosy. Elisha told him to go wash in the Jordan river seven times and he'd be healed!

The man turned away very angry, asking why he should have to do this ridiculous thing, why did it have to be the Jordan, couldn't he wash in the rivers in the area where he lived? He was very indignant that the prophet would suggest such a "foolish" thing to him. It made no sense and he turned and started back home.

But one of his servants reasoned with him saying that if Elisha had asked some great thing for him to do to be cleansed, wouldn't he do it? So what's the big deal? Just do it, do what the man of God said. So he finally conceded, and went and did as Elisha had said ...and he was healed.

The point is that obedience is such a powerful thing before God that it will change things completely. But the test of obedience will oftentimes be something the Lord demands which seems to make no sense. Dip in the Jordan seven times? Are you kidding, Lord???

If you have a problem and bring it to the Lord, listen carefully to his instruction. If he tells you to do something unusual, just do it. Be sure of what he's telling you, don't let Satan play with your mind. But when you're sure, just do it.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:9