The Rewards of Obedience

It happened when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “ My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean. When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.” 2 Kings 5:8-15

When God speaks through His Word, we should do more than just listen; we should obey. The marvelous blessings and grace of God - salvation, sanctification, abiding, peace, and joy - all become ours not when we simply hear the Word of God but when we obey its precepts.

Why then don’t we always gladly and eagerly do what God says?

We often disobey, either passively or actively, because we fail to comprehend God’s decrees. Naaman almost left Israel still a leper because he could not understand the logic of Elisha’s orders
(2 Kings 5:9-14).

But we must remember Isaiah 55:9: “...My ways [are] higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” With God we must obey before we are rewarded. He is after our heart and loyalty. That is what obedience is all about. If we insist on knowing the facts, our relationship is not one of trust and reverence.

Another reason we do not obey is because God’s truth often is at odds with our will. But when we obey regardless of our feelings, we gain the far greater will of our Father.

Is there an area where you have not obeyed God’s Word because you don’t understand His ways or you refuse His reign? Choose to obey despite your feelings, and the rewards of obedience will be joyfully yours.

“...for they hear your words but they do not practice them.” Ezekiel 33:32