From Leprosy to Luxury

“Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, ‘Why stay here until we die? If we say, “We’ll go into the city”—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.’”
2 Kings 7: 3-4 (NIV)

The Holy Spirit has something He’d like to share with you.

Did you know that only 8% of Americans talk about God, faith, religion or spirituality in a given week? The average American says they only have about one spiritual conversation in an entire year. 

But the Holy Spirit would like to share a burden with you–a burden of His love and grace. 

In second Kings chapter seven, we see four unlikely men carry this burden. The northern kingdom of Israel is under siege from a powerful foreign army, and the people are starving. Outside of the city, four lepers sit anxiously awaiting death. Society has rejected and ostracized them. As they survey the situation, they have three bad options:

1.  Do nothing, which means they will die. 
2. Try to go back into the city, in which case they will still die. 
3. Go to the enemy and surrender, in which case they will be taken captive and or die. 

So, they take a risk to throw themselves at someone else’s mercy, they head to the enemy camp to surrender. 

When they arrive at the camp, God had already scattered the enemy’s army. They realize that God had gone before them and mercifully prepared a blessing. All that’s left at the abandoned camp are the spoils. These lepers go from leprosy to luxury. And they could have simply stuffed their bellies full of food and their pockets full of gold. 

But they felt a burden to do something else—to share what they had received. 

These men represent each of us who has experienced the love of God, surrendered to Jesus Christ, received the bread of life and been filled with living water. You have been blessed to see the grace of God. Like the lepers, everything you have has been given to you from God’s grace–you’ve done nothing to deserve it. 

And now, God has equipped you to do something with His grace. He has given you His Spirit so that you have the words, energy and confidence to share His story with others. They don’t need to suffer or starve because you can offer the satisfying and healing peace of Jesus. 

You have been rescued from the sin’s leprosy of the soul and given the luxury of salvation. God has saved you from bondage and released you into His truth and freedom. Now will you courageously take a risk? 

As you say yes, you will discover that God has prepared a blessing for others and for you. Allow the Holy Spirit to share His burden with you, and you’ll have the power to share the generosity.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for opening a way and providing for me to experience Your blessing of peace, freedom and salvation. Help me never forget the generosity You have shown me in Jesus Christ. I thank You that nothing can separate me from Your love–help me pass on this assurance and peace to others by sharing the gospel. Give me new opportunities this week, I pray. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.