Nov 23 Give Thanks

2 Kings 7:14-16 So the kings' servants took two horsemen, and the king sent them after the army of the Syrians, saying, "Go and see." 15 So they went after them as far as the Jordan, and behold, all the way was littered with garments and equipment that the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. And the messengers returned and told the king. 16 Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord.

 

IT has been a miraculous 24 hours in Samaria, the capital city of Israel. The city was under siege from the Syrian army. People were starving to death. King Joram wanted to kill Elisha, who had prophesied God would save Samaria. Elisha then faithfully reconfirmed God would save the city, and it would happen the next day. Then four lepers with a very dim ray of hope they would survive went into the enemy Syrian camp to find food.

    Wondrously, the lepers found the camp empty! God had raised fear in their hearts, and they went home. The lepers reported the good news to King Joram, who said, "It's a trick." Joram's servants, though, said, "Let's check it out." So the servants go. They find the lepers are telling the truth. But the king's servants do not stop there. They follow the enemy's trail to the Jordan River. They see only remnants of things the Syrians dropped in their retreat. The Syrians are gone out of Israel! Praise the Lord; he has delivered Samaria's citizens from evil!

    The city hears the good news. Eagerly they believe, and they go out into the abandoned Syrian camp. It is full of food and valuable items. Just as Elisha had prophesied, food is suddenly bountiful and cheap. The Lord's Word has come true.

    In this, God's Miracle Number 12 through Elisha's ministry, God saves his people from death into physical salvation. Certainly we see here a picture of what it is to be "born again" into spiritual salvation. We are born starved of God's spiritual food. Without Jesus, the Bread of Life, we die an eternal death. But then miraculously God acted, so new life bounteously comes to our souls. And now he sends servants to tell the good news.

    Jesus teaches us about God's miraculous salvation in John 3:5-7 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not wonder that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'" Praise the Lord; he has delivered his chosen people from evil!

    In this week of Thanksgiving (For readers in Africa, this Thursday is a holiday in the U.S. called "Thanksgiving". It was originally designed to give thanks to God for our bounty here in the U.S.) when someone asks you, "For what are you thankful?" will you answer, "I am thankful for the miracle of my salvation, that I can consume the Bread of Life, the gospel of Jesus Christ. I thank God that I am born again in the power of the Holy Spirit." Why would you not say that? What else is so important?

Prayer: Lord God, how can I ever take you for granted? How can I not think of you when people ask me, "For what are you thankful?" I pray this week, especially, I will tell people of your marvelous bounty of life. In Jesus' name, amen.