II Kings 5:7

"And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me."

Jehoram is given a request from the king of Syria for Naaman to be healed of his leprosy. It is for us to remember that Naaman had heard of the Lord God from his Israel servant girl. She had told him of the power of Elisha by the hand of God upon him. The king of Syria and Naaman are simply responding to this claim. IN desperation to be rid of leprosy, he would try anything and everything to be made whole. In desperation this world will come to God when they need him most. It came to pass - word study, to come; It is always a phrase to bring us to the next set of events. Something has just happned, the letter and request has been sent; now, we must prepare for what response that will provoke. Our life is full of 'it came to pass'; one event triggers the next. But the response is what is key, for is it for the glory of God or for the glory of men? when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes - Jehoram is a religious man, but not unto the Lord, so his rending his garment is not unto God but of his own desire; This is a weighty letter and we should well sympathize with Jehoram, for what would we do upon such a request to have a leprous man made whole? Jehoram sees a plight from the king of Syria to provoke a fight and is left without an answer. And said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive? a reasonable statement that only God is able to do such things; In Deuteronomy 32:39, "See now that I , even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill and I make alive; I wound, and I heal, neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand" Jehoram was right to say that he was not God and that he could not heal Naaman. but the Lord, He is God and he is able to do such things. And we see it here in this verse, the power of God in all the events of our life. Birth, sickness, problems, and death, all things are under His hand to shape us and form us for His glorys or so that He will get the glory. We are not God and in such times of need for others to be healed and prayed for, let us turn to the One Who is able to do all things well. that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? word study, to send; great questions of the Bible; It is the opportunity that is presented to us sometimes for God to work and be glorified. We do not ask for people with sickness and problems to come to us. But in desperation they will call upon those taht they know pray, so that we might pray for them. And here it was God's desire to heal Naaman and Elisha was the man who could do it with the power of God upon him. Their will be those that are sent to us to recover them of their issues and we must show them Jesus, they must see Jesus and He must be lifted up. Wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me - word stuy, to see; His conclusion is a worldly thought and he is unable to see the potential for God to be glorified among the heathen. But Jehoram is not a king that serves the Lord and deep down he knows that his false gods have never and could never do any such thing. When situations arise, do not look at the circumstance or behold that matter of how difficult it is, look unto Jesus. do not see a quarrel but see an opportunity for God to work His best work. Are you ready to see? Or are the scales blocking your sight? No doubt, it is what you are focused on instead of Who you are focusing on. For with faith, God is able to do great and abundant things above all that we can think or ask for.