“God at Work in the Unexpected”
Scripture:“Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.” – 2 Kings 5:15 (NIV)
The story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5 is far more than a miraculous healing—it’s a portrait of God’s sovereignty, compassion, and the way He works through unlikely people and circumstances to reclaim hearts and nations. Though Naaman was a commander of the army of Aram—an enemy of Israel—God was reaching into a foreign land, displaying His power and love beyond national and religious boundaries.
This story reminds us: God is at work reclaiming the nations.
Naaman was a man of honor and influence, but he carried an incurable burden—leprosy. He was strong on the outside, but helpless in the face of his disease. Into this situation stepped a young Israelite servant girl, captured during a raid and living in exile. Her role could have been insignificant, her heart bitter. Instead, we see the character of God reflected in her: full of mercy and concern, even for an enemy. She told her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy” (v. 3). Her faith and compassion became the first thread in God’s redemptive plan for Naaman.
When Naaman arrived in Israel, bearing gifts and expecting fanfare, he was met with a different kind of prophet. Elisha didn’t even come out to greet him but sent a message through a servant: “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan” (v. 10). Elisha’s behavior was not rude—it was intentional. It revealed that healing comes not by influence, wealth, or pride, but through humble obedience to the word of the Lord. Elisha acted in the character of God—direct, compassionate, and impartial.
Naaman’s initial reaction exposed his heart: prideful, skeptical, and demanding. “I thought that he would surely come out to me…” he said angrily (v. 11). He expected God to work on his terms. Like many, Naaman’s priorities were misplaced; he trusted in status and spectacle, not in the simplicity of God’s instruction. But when his servants urged him to obey, he humbled himself. And in that obedience, he was healed.
More than just a physical cure, Naaman experienced spiritual transformation. His declaration—“Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel” (v. 15)—reveals a heart that now reveres the holiness of God’s intervention. He even asked for soil from Israel to take home, symbolizing his desire to worship the true God alone. When God brings us through a crisis, we begin to see His work in our life as holy. The ordinary becomes sacred. What was once routine now echoes with the reality of God’s presence.
This account challenges us on many levels. Are we like the servant girl, willing to be a vessel of God’s mercy? Do we, like Elisha, reflect God’s character in humility and truth? Or do we struggle like Naaman, wanting God’s help but on our own terms?Above all, we are reminded that God is always at work—even through exile, disease, and crisis—reaching into foreign places, touching hearts that seem far from Him, and showing that His power and love are not confined by borders or expectations.
Prayer:Lord God, thank You for being at work even in the unexpected moments of our lives. Help me to be like the servant girl—faithful and compassionate. Shape my heart to reflect Your character as Elisha did. Forgive me when I let pride or my own expectations stand in the way of obedience. And when You bring me through trials, teach me to see Your work as holy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Pastor Mark
