“But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage. But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed!”
Memory Verse: Exodus 19:5 Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.
Instructions are great directives, they guide on how to get things done. Their importance should not be trivialised as they form important parts of executing tasks successfully. You can vividly say you have achieved when you listen and carry out orders as instructed. The end product is usually evident as you see elements of perfection, just as the instructor wants it to look like.
God is not a respecter of man and when He sends out instructions, He wants them to be followed. Not forcefully but with choice. His instructions are ones, which are meant to be executed to achieve desired results and outcomes that pleases Him like He did when He created the earth. Everything He created was done by speaking commands which is same as instructing things to come into manifestation. For a fact, God’s first order was instructing light to brighten up the earth. Genesis 1:1-4. Throughout the bible, God in His trinity is giving instructions on things to do, how to go about doing things, when to go about doing it and how results were being evident to those who strictly obeyed his instructions.
Imagine how upset Naaman was when he was told to go wash in the Jordan river. He already saw himself as a MVP. One who is in the hall of fame as a victorious Syrian army commandant with a lot of accolades in his resume. In his thoughts, the prophet should have just come out with it, proclaim the healing and he should be on his way “business as usual”. But the story was different, the prophet gave an instruction and God is a faithful God, despite the grudgeful approach, Naaman followed the instructions which led to his fingers being restored as that of a child.
You are a product of God’s instructions! He simply said during creation “let us make human beings in our own image”. He gave all the specifications of how human should be created and crowned it with the breath of life, Genesis 1:26.
Knowing why things happens is not enough but knowing how, gives you an understanding, establishing in you, the required knowledge. If I walked into a shop and bought a Television, I can only utilize the full functionalities of the television if I effectively scrutinise the manual. Same as the Israelite matching around Jericho seven times silently and then shouting on the last day to bring down the wall of Jericho. No amount of labor and brick machines could have brought down Jericho’s hefty walls. The instruction in the manual was a shout. Almost senseless but it worked. Often you hear people say it’s only a TV, I can work this easily, ditch the manual; but a fact remains that newer models get released with hidden features which distinguishes them from competition. Ones which will not be unraveled or discovered if you are carefree about checking out the instruction manuals.
In today’s world, most Christians are fast becoming Naaman-like. Despite needing something from God who can decide not to give or prolong his response time, self-exhalation in place of humility is shown, assuming the mighty-man’s position like Naamandid. How ridiculous, a commander of an army, dipping himself into water in the sight of everyone? You must be joking. Naaman was livid, walked off angry, but God saved him through his officers who made him listen; else today’s book of history will be listing him as a General who died with leprosy, II kings 5:10-14.
I get worried when I don’t get an instruction from God in every area of life because I see it as a short cut to execution and attainment. God is the Alpha and Omega; therefore, He has seen the end from the beginning; who else will someone get guidance from? One who is guessing it or one who knows it all already?
God’s instruction may not always come in the way you expect them, the way they sound may even make you think, this definitely isn’t God speaking, it is not an instruction from God. But as His child, you have a responsibility to reconfirm and carry it out step by step if you intend to achieve success. God always has a way of confirming what he has said or instructed.
Are you listening to God’s instruction or expecting Him to play catch-up?
Don’t be like Saul who was too impatient, losing his kingdom at the end, 1Samuel 8-14. Be a David, a man after God’s own heart, an obedient one and a follower of instructions, Acts 13:22. The full benefit of Christianity, comes only from full obedience.
Prayers:
- Father, thank you for another wonderful day.
- I renounce every element of disobedience in my life from today in Jesus name
- Father let your instruction be the greatest treasure I will ever have, Help me to obey you totally.
- Thank you, Father for the forgiveness of sins and answers to prayers, In Jesus name I Pray, Amen
- Have a productive day and stay blessed.
