November 19 Give God's Bounty

2 Kings 7:8 And when these lepers came to the edge of the camp, they went into a tent and ate and drank, and they carried off silver and gold and clothing and went and hid them. Then they came back and entered another tent and carried off things from it and went and hid them. 9 Then they said to one another, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king's household."  

TWO days ago I wrote about these four lepers' attitude to get up and go. They chose to enter the enemy Syrian camp amid the likelihood they would be killed. Their slim hope of survival was better than the sure death of starvation in besieged Samaria. Now see the bounty of their Spirit-led hope! In God's grace they have essentially become wealthy men, filled with earthily riches in a matter of hours.

          But as God acted to stir their minds to go to the Syrian camp, he now stirs their minds to consider, "We are not doing right." They realized they were keeping from the king and the city the good news of the bounty they had discovered.

          As we have seen God's grace to save these men, we now see a demonstration of what we are to do with God's grace gift of life to us. Jesus clearly tells his disciples what to do with his good news in Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." 

          As the lepers realized they must be witnesses to the city of Samaria the good news of physical plenty, you and I must witness the good news of Jesus' salvation to the world. To keep the gospel's riches to ourselves would not be "doing right".

          I know, many do not want to hear the good news. But would you rather do what sinners want or what the Savior commands? To tell of Jesus' salvation, we must seek the Lord's help. We can pray such a discipleship prayer as, "Lord, show me today who I need to tell about Jesus." And then we must be ready to do what's right. We must be faithful to get up and see who the Lord will bring to us.

          The only right thing to do is to give God's gracious bounty he has given to our souls.

Prayer: Lord God, bring to me today someone who needs to know the Good News of your gracious salvation. In Jesus' name, amen.