VALGOOD

Have you ever experienced a situation where things weren’t going the way you were expecting? You truly believed in your heart that things would be different?

My devotions the last couple days have been too good not to share! You can read the entire passage word-for-word here (2 Kings 5-7), but I’ll highlight two stories within that really struck me (and I’ve been thinking about ever since!).

The passage starts out with a commander of the Aram army who was a respected, mighty warrior but suffered from the skin disease of leprosy. He was basically given a ‘letter of recommendation’ from the king of Aram and told to go see the prophet Elisha in Israel to be healed. So, the commander went to Elisha’s house and waited at the door. But, instead of seeing him in person, Elisha sent a messenger out to tell the army commander to go wash himself seven times in the Jordan River and then his skin would be restored and he would be fully healed of the disease.

What happened next? The commander of the army became ANGRY!!! He stalked away, offended that the prophet hadn’t met with him. He sulked, “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God to save me!”and left in a rage (2 Kings 5:11-12).

Thankfully, his officers reasoned with him and encouraged him to obey. So, he followed the instructions and was healed! The army commander went back and thanked the prophet, proclaiming there was no God in all the world except in Israel (2 Kings 5:15).

In my margins, I wrote “God heals us in different ways than what we might expect.” It was a new thought to me – a new perspective. You see,  I expect that I pray and God quickly answers with a divine intervention OR a medical treatment. But sometimes, I need to step back and realize that God’s ways are different than ours, God’s thoughts are higher than ours, and God’s plans are BETTER than ours.

We can be angry, hurt and sullen with our expectations or we can be quick to submit and walk in obedience to God’s truth. We truly can trust that He is working things out in His way and in His timing.

This brings me to this morning’s reading, where this same prophet Elisha was being hunted by the Aramean army (later the king had ordered his execution – even though he had helped his army commander). Elisha’s servant woke up in the morning and saw “troops, horses and chariots everywhere!” (2 Kings 6:15). He was distraught and cried out, “Ah, my lord, what will we do now!?!?!”

Let me pause here and say if you have ever been in a desperate situation with seemingly no way out, then you know how this distress can feel. This man was afraid for his life, and they were surrounded by troops with literally no where to turn… nowhere but UP, that is.

Elisha responded, “Don’t be afraid! For there are more on our side than on theirs!“ Then he prayed and asked God to open the eyes of his servant. “The Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire” (2 Kings 6:17).

If you continue to read, you’ll find out that not only was Elisha not harmed, all the soldiers went home safely (and with a new perspective of who God is, I’m assuming!) through God’s holy plan.

My point is that sometimes we can’t see what is happening in the spiritual realm. My prayer today was that God would open my eyes. May we not be overwhelmed and consumed by what we see but rather focus on the eternal, the important, the help that comes from above, and mostly the Helper.

Whatever you’re praying for today – know that God doesn’t work according to our plans and expectations… He does things absolutely BETTER! And while we may not physically see it, we can trust and know that He’s got it covered. Submit to His plan and pray today, asking for His help and for His vision. May He change our perspective!

The week after Christmas I had an MRI done on my left ankle and foot since I’m still having swelling and severe pain (and I fell back in September!). I got the results after the New Year’s holiday and was devastated to see that my ankle is still broken (although it looks to be healing) but I tore or partially tore three ligaments surrounding my ankle and there is also an abnormality (break or separation?) in my foot, on that same left side where the ligaments and muscles are joined together. I was sad, to say the least. And the orthopedic group was off for the holidays so I was left with results and no one to really explain them. While my internet search showed that this tears and breaks can be normal with a severe ankle injury, they also suggest that eight weeks in a cast should help with the healing. I’ve already done that, and this MRI was taken months later. I started to panic – why is this not healing?

The next morning, as I was taking the kids to school, we opened our morning devotional as we always do. The kids take turns reading to each other, and we discuss what it says in the car. (I know this sounds like we were running late, but we were actually early. I have found that the morning car ride is the best morning time where we are all together with attention given to what’s being read, so it is just what works for our family for morning devotions!) Here was the devotional, word-for-word (borrowed from the book “365 Devotions for Boys”):

WHO’S ON DUTY?

“You clothed me with skin and flesh, and wove me together with bones and tendons. You gave me life and faithful love, and Your care has guarded my life.” ~Job 10:11-12

     Have you ever seen a lifeguard in action? If someone is in trouble, he does not hesitate to jump into action and save a swimmer from harm. When people sign up to be lifeguards, they know that caring for others is their job.

     Did you know that God is your lifeguard? He offers constant care, love and protection.

I heard the words as they were being read and I immediately thought of David in Psalms saying how God created and formed our bodies. But, instead I was surprised to hear the reference of Job (which the kids mispronounced as a ‘working’ job, and I corrected them saying “it’s Job” which sounds like robe). These verses touched my heart all the more then. Anyone who has read the book of Job knows that he had suffered greatly and continued to trust God and cry out to Him. God knew that I was sad. He was reminding me that He has formed our bodies, He knows how to heal and how to save, and He is offering care, love and protection. I felt like He was saying it would be okay.

I have an appointment to see the orthopedic surgeon tomorrow in between classes. I am still having pain, but I am trusting that my ankle will heal (and I’m praying for sooner, rather than later!). The one doctor from the practice emailed that it can take up to four months for torn ligaments to heal. This week marks four months, but I keep reminding myself that if that is an average, it’s okay to be higher than average and someone else’s lower-than-average healing time makes that still an average. That said, I miss running and doing normal activities, and even being able to sleep without waking up with pain. So, please pray that my ankle heals and this becomes just another memory of God’s faithfulness. 🙂

I am reminded that GOD is on duty today. He has not left His throne. He is still in charge. He knows what we need. After all, He created us! If you have anything you’re struggling with today, ask God to rescue you. Even if all you can do is put your hand up (like a swimmer who needs help!), He’s got you! Trust that He is able and ask for His faithful and powerful intervention. Then thank Him as you watch the answer unfold…