Pride at the Prophet’s Door 6/24

 Pride at the Prophet’s Door

Naaman arrived at Elisha’s house with horses, chariots, and great wealth. He expected a grand reception. He wanted to pay for a dramatic miracle. Instead, Elisha did not even come outside. He sent a messenger with simple instructions: go wash in the Jordan River seven times.

Naaman stormed away in a rage. The solution was too simple and too humiliating. His pride said he deserved a special ceremony. He would rather keep his leprosy than obey a command that felt beneath him. Pride makes us reject God’s simple way of grace because we want to earn our salvation.

You might be waiting for God to move in a spectacular way. You want a sign or a feeling. But God’s command is often simple: repent, believe, obey. You do not need a conference or a book; you need to do what God has already said. What simple command from God are you refusing to obey because it wounds your pride?

“But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.” (2 Kings 5:11, KJV)

Prayer: Confess to God the pride that makes you want to negotiate your own terms for salvation.

Challenge: Read Ephesians 2:8-9 aloud and underline the phrase "it is the gift of God."

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media