Gehazi

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Gehazi One
By: Ron Edmondson Monday, February 04, 2008
"What can be done for her?" Elisha asked. Gehazi said, "Well, she has no son and her husband is old." 2 Kings 4:14 NIV

The story of Naaman is a lesser-known Bible story. While some are familiar with the story of Naaman, there is another character in the story that I believe many of us can identify. His name is Gehazi. He was a servant of the great prophet Elisha.

When we first meet Gehazi, he is talking to Elisha about the woman who had housed Elisha in her home. Elisha called upon God on behalf of the woman, and God blessed her with a son, having not been able to conceive. This same son dies a few years later, and Elisha sends Gehazi to help the boy. When Gehazi cannot, Elisha goes to the dead boy and brings him back to life.

I wonder, as I read this introductory verse about Gehazi, what was going through his mind when he first answered Elisha. Elisha had asked how they could help the woman, and Gehazi tells Elisha that “she has no son and her husband is old”. Was he essentially saying, “Well, I don’t think there is anything you can do for her. Her greatest desire is a son, and she can’t have one.”? Is that what he was saying?

Is that what you might have said? Would you trust that God could bring a child through an old barren woman with an even older husband? Doesn’t make much sense, does it? I have often wondered if God used this frequent Biblical miracle, giving birth to barren women, because we are already so fascinated with the miracle of newborn life! To witness the birth of my son was one of the greatest wonders in my life. Those tiny hands and tiny feet, perfectly formed, caused me to stop in awe of my Creator!

I know of several couples desperately trying to have children now, before their days of childbearing are over. We see the birth process as having its end after a woman has stopped menstruating, don’t we? Several times in the Bible God said “no” to the laws of nature and brought forth a child under abnormal conditions! And, we stand in awe!

May I ask you something? Are you looking for God to do something which seems impossible to the rational mind? Are you in need of a God-sized miracle? Is there a heart that only God could change? A financial burden only God could reverse? A health problem only God could cure? Do you see the God you serve as being able to meet that need? Do you believe that He can?

I’m not sure Gehazi trusted God enough to see the woman pregnant. Elisha did! Will you and I trust God that much?

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Gehazi Two
By: Ron Edmondson Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, "My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him." 2 Kings 5:20 NIV

Some people are always looking out for themselves. Have you known anyone like this? They are usually marked people. They are known as takers, not givers. These people violate the tenth commandment of God, because they covet the property of others. Please, dear reader, don’t be found among the takers!

Gehazi had watched in awe as the prophet Elisha advised Naaman how to cure his leprosy. Naaman had rejected the advice at first, because he felt it was beneath his dignity to dump himself in the muddy river. But, at the wise counsel of those traveling with Naaman, he was healed and made whole again. He was eternally grateful to Elisha and wanted to repay him for the blessing of his health. Elisha refused payment, since he was acting according to God’s commands and not on his own. Gehazi felt that Elisha had passed up a pot of gold.

Keep in mind that prophets in this day were servants of God. They weren’t wealthy. They were quite often poor. Gehazi probably suffered from poverty along with Elisha. He saw the riches of Naaman and they looked enticing. The “grass looked greener on the other side”. “If only we had that…, we wouldn’t need for anything else”, Gehazi probably thought.

Ever feel like Gehazi? You serve God, seemingly doing without, while you watch others, who don’t know God like you do, who seem to have all the goods? It doesn’t seem fair sometimes, does it? If the God we serve owns the cattle on a thousand hills, then why are we doing without beef? “Where’s the beef, God”, we are tempted to reverently ask.

Elisha knew a principle that Gehazi had not yet learned. God does supply, but not always on our time or in the method we would choose. Elisha had learned, as Paul said in the New Testament, the “secret of being content”. He knew what it was like to have plenty and he knew what it was like to have to wait on God. And, he had found that he could have satisfaction in either situation.

What about you (and me)? Are we more like Elisha, or are we more like Gehazi? When we are experiencing great blessings of God, it is easy to trust Him. Is the same true when it appears we are doing without; when it even sometimes appears that God is no where to be found? Can we trust Him even in the hard times, that He will once again bring about the good?

That’s the deepest prayer of my life this year.

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Gehazi Three
By: Ron Edmondson Wednesday, February 06, 2008
So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. "Is everything all right?" he asked. "Everything is all right," Gehazi answered. "My master sent me to say, 'Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.'" 2 Kings 5:21-22 NIV

Gehazi took things into his own hands. He thought the prophet Elisha had messed up by not making Naaman pay for the healing of leprosy he received. After all, Elisha and his servants, including Gehazi, could probably have used the extra money. So, Gehazi took out after Naaman, attempting to right a wrong.

Have you ever taken things into your own hands? Are there times when it just seems God is reacting far too slow, and you may just need to help Him along a little bit? It doesn’t sound that intelligent when I put it into print, does it? And, yet, that’s what we often do. We get tired of waiting for an answer, so we start to try and bring about our own blessings. In the process, we often miss the real blessing of God, which He was preparing for us all along.

I don’t know how God might have blessed Gehazi had he waited for God to do so. I know this, however, taking the reigns from God certainly wasn’t the way to go. We’ll see more of this later this week, but for now you need to know that he was greatly punished.

One principle we need to learn is this: WAIT ON GOD! It won’t always be easy. It will not always seem to make sense. I won’t always even seem fun at the time, but it is the right thing to do. God’s ways are always best. He has proven that over and over again.

Do you believe it?

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Gehazi Four
By: Ron Edmondson Thursday, February 07, 2008
When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left. Then he went in and stood before his master Elisha. "Where have you been, Gehazi?" Elisha asked. "Your servant didn't go anywhere," Gehazi answered. 2 Kings 5:24-25 NIV

Gehazi instantly knew he had done wrong. He took things into his own hands, and it seemed right at the time, but when faced with his sin, he knew he had messed up.

Don’t we know when we blow it? Aren’t there times when you want to trust God, and you know you should trust God, but when the circumstances of life wrap around you, you fall into the trap of doubt? Or, when you repeat that same sin over and over again. Instantly, when you come to grips with yourself, you know you have sinned against God.

In the Old Testament, before the days of grace, men like Gehazi lost big time because of their failure to trust God or because of their disobedience. You and I, because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, are given multiples of chances to get it right. God keeps forgiving us and keeps allowing us to come back under His grace. Gehazi tried to hide his sin from Elisha because he knew he was wrong. What are you involved in today that you would love to hide from God, because you know it to be wrong?

Yes, you are under grace, so you don’t have to fear God’s daily wrath as Gehazi did, but don’t be fooled. God will not be mocked, and your sins will have consequences. Turn to God and turn quickly! Repent and sin no more! Call on the God who forgives and let Him cleanse you of all unrighteousness.

Call so that you might stand before a Holy God with clean hands and hear those words: Well Done, thy good and faithful servant!

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Gehazi Five
By: Ron Edmondson Friday, February 08, 2008
Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever." Then Gehazi went from Elisha's presence and he was leprous, as white as snow. 2 Kings 5:27 NIV

God had lost his patience with Gehazi. Gehazi took matters into his own hands, because he did not fully trust God to provide for all his needs. His actions cost him a lifetime of future misery.

What is your sin costing you? Are there missed blessings or are you doing without, because you have refused to turn from sinful practices? I talk to someone nearly every month that is consumed with the sin of pornography. They are mostly men, living what appears to be a normal life, but the lewdness of the Internet or dirty magazines has them captivated, and they don’t know how to quit. I hear from people who are so burdened with problems, and they want to trust God, but they can’t help falling into the sin of worry.

If you are struggling in sin, whether it be a sin of the flesh or a sin of the spirit, may I gently remind you that your sin will have a lifetime of consequences. I am thankful that the Bible talks a lot about the rewards for righteousness and how God wants to bless us for obedience. God's grace is sufficient for any and every sin, but we cannot forget that consequences still remain for sin even today. Sometimes (many times) bad things happen through no sin of our own, but because we live in a fallen world, but many times it's our own sin causing the destruction in our life.

Yes, Jesus died for our sins and our sins can be hidden in Him, but we are not immune from sin today. We battle our flesh daily, and when sin is the victor, we are not within the perfect will of God for our lives. God cannot and will not bless sin! He will not be found near unrighteousness!

Praise God, He is faithful to forgive us of our sins, and He will cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness, but in order for that to take place, we must repent! We must turn from our sin and seek forgiveness! Then the healing begins! Then the blessings flow! Then our lives are pleasing to Him and bring Him glory and honor! Oh, may we be found faithful and pure when He returns! Give us clean hearts, oh LORD, give us clean hearts!