During the month of July, we are returning to the “Women of Courage” devotional book, and resumed with reading about Naaman’s servant in 2 Kings 5:1-15.

Naaman, we are told was a great, honorable, courageous, and victorious man. But he had leprosy.

A young Israelite girl, captured during a raid and brought back to be his wife’s servant, took pity and told the wife about Elisha, the man of God who could bring him healing.

The humble girl remains unnamed in Scripture and used of God. She gave friendship that was kind and undeserved, and became noted in Scripture for all time.

The devotional asks:

Who are you in the story? Are you the servant girl, nervous to offer the cure? Are you Naaman, feeling ashamed to receive help from someone you treated poorly?

The kindness of this unnamed girl led Naaman to declare:

“Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel …”
(verse 15, NASB).

Prayer: Lord, help us to be a friend even to those we perceive as our enemies. Help us to remember that even a small gesture can lead them to You, to declare that You are the only God. Amen.

What does this story speak to your heart?

~*~*~

In John 11: 17-44 we find Martha. Her brother Lazarus has been dead for four days when Jesus finally arrives.

The topic – impossible and difficult circumstances.

In the devotional book, some powerful thoughts were shared:

• “If only …” is the door to a downward spiral of bitterness and resentment.”
• Martha “leaned into her faith in an all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful God.”
• Martha reminded herself of a bigger truth: “yet even now.”

No matter what we are facing, we need to remember and focus on the truth that Jesus can still work. We must continue to believe Jesus can bring life to any situation, no matter how impossible or dead it may appear.

The devotional asks:

Are you surrounded by a horrible situation right now? Are you facing a dead end, the death of a dream or business or relationship in life? Are you wondering where God was when everything fell apart?

I am going to ask you to do something pretty simple – In the comments below, fill in the blank in this sentence:

“Lord, I believe You can bring life to __________________.”

Then let’s all be praying for these impossible, or seemingly dead, situations.

~*~*~

In Luke 2:21-38, we find Anna.

We don’t know much about Anna, so what do we know? We know:

• she was a prophetess
• she was old
• she was married for seven years
• at the age of 84, she became a widow
• she never left the Temple.
• she had a thankful heart

As a prophetess, she taught and encouraged younger women in the Scriptures. It was probably her knowledge of Scripture that enabled her to wait expectantly for the Messiah.

The devotional asks:

Have you been waiting for an answer to prayer for a long time? Do you wonder if God is even listening? Are you nervous that you misunderstood God’s promises?

It’s easy to grow tired, or think that you misunderstood the promise. But may we be like Anna:

“May we look in His Word for the things He has told us, and believe that they will happen in His good time.

(Women of Courage, page 113)

“Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.”
(Psalm 55:17, NLT)

~*~*~

Remembering who God is,
helps us to pray for even the seemingly impossible situations in our lives,
and wait upon God to move.

 

 

Photo 1: by Karson on Unsplash
Photo 2: by Jason Pischke on Unsplash
Photo 3: by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

Today I am joining … Tell His Story and InstaEncouragements .