This is a day of good
news and we are keeping it to ourselves. 2 Kings 7:9
It seems to me that there are three important spiritual
principles illustrated in this chapter:
<!--[if !supportLists]-->i.
<!--[endif]-->It’s
only when we are truly desperate that we throw ourselves most fully on God’s grace,
protection and provision.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->ii.
<!--[endif]-->God’s
ways and thoughts are far above ours (yet again!!)
<!--[if !supportLists]-->iii.
<!--[endif]-->Good
news is for sharing.
It needed these social rejects, with nothing to lose, to
discover the amazing fact that the enemy who had caused them so much despair
and distress had fled leaving everything behind. The same Lord who had kept the Arameans from
seeing in our previous chapter, now caused them to hear what was not
happening. A supernatural intervention
which again, was beyond human imagining or engineering. Interesting too, that Joram and his army
don’t really believe and accept what has happened v12. It seems too good to be true. There must be a catch.
I was at a meeting once where the speaker was trying to
illustrate God’s free gift of grace. He
held up a £5 note and said that whoever came for it could have it. The adults were far too suspicious and
worried about being taken in and humiliated, and it took a child to come and
take the money. God gives us good gifts
without conditions or catches which he wants us to accept with thanksgiving.
V8-9 There is
something quite comical about the lepers gorging themselves on the fine food;
slurping down the wine; stashing away all the treasure they could carry – then
realising that it was far beyond what they could find uses for; that they were
being selfish – and ultimately they would be punished for their selfishness.
Some reflections for
us:
- How desperate are we for what God wants to give us? How aware of our need – the inadequacy of our own riches, abilities, gifts?
- Do we allow God to be God or are we trying to make Him in our image – organise him into answering our prayers and needs in the ways we think he should?
- How aware are we that the Good News that we have come to accept for ourselves is for sharing? What are we doing to let other people know that it is for them – through our actions and through our words?
(member of women’s ministry)