I AM a Child of God!

Scripture: “…And a little Child shall lead them.” Isa 11:6.

“Assuredly, I say unto you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 18:3

Hey gang, how many of you ever were told, “Children are to be seen and not heard?”  It was popular when I was growing up – but not so relevant today.  My heart hurts when I hear young people without a “governor on their mouth .”  Scripture has much to say about that – read Proverbs.  But that is not my thought for today.

Recently, I reread the story in I Kings 5. Most people focus on the major character in this story, Naaman.  Yes, it is about God’s care for him and, after being humbled instead of honored, he obeyed the prophet, was healed and recognized that the God of Israel was the one true God. 

My focus, today, is the young girl – we don’t know her name or age, but we hear her heart. She had been taken from her family in Israel and was now a slave, serving Naaman’s wife.  Remember, in Jesus’ day and before, children, especially in non-Hebrew cultures, were considered simply as property.

Several things jumped out at me that I think we all can learn. Read the entire story II King 5:1-19.

1.    This slave girl, now in a foreign county remained true to God, in difficult circumstances.  Instead of a hostile attitude, she respected her Mistress and Master and wanted God’s best for them - wholeness and health and shared her faith!

2.    She was trained from childhood to trust and depend on God.  Her natural outlook was that God could and would do miracles.  (Do you think God is the same yesterday and Today?)

3.    Her gentle remark to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria, God would heal him of Leprosy.” (v 3). Again reflects a right attitude.

4.    Words are important, as are listening ears!

5.    God works in mysterious ways. Naaman responded, but his expectations and what happened – for God’s glory – were very different. 

God ways are not our ways – so much greater! Naaman’s servants gave him wise counsel respectively. Did you notice? Five times in the River didn’t make a difference – but Oh, the seventh time!!!

God has untold blessings for us, if we obey Him and follow His ways.  Not only was Naaman healed but he made the slave girl’s God his own.  Can you imagine the stories she might have shared with him and her mistress on his return?

Soooo, if you are a child of God, with whom have you shared God’s love and the sacrifice of His Son Jesus for our sin-nature? Leprosy, in Scripture, is a type of sin and without Divine healing it leads to death. The same is true today of any who have not asked Jesus to forgive them of human sin nature. Are you being intentional about how you live your life, choose your words and share Jesus?

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. John 1:12.   

Blessings.
Gma Jean