Morning

July 7

2 Kings 5:25-26 ²⁵Then he went in and stood before his master Elisha. "Where have you been, Gehazi?" Elisha asked. "Your servant didn't go anywhere," Gehazi answered. ²⁶But Elisha said to him, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants?

After Naaman was healed, he offered Elisha a small fortune. Elisha refused to take anything and sent Naaman home in peace. Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, thought they had missed an opportunity to make some financial gain. He ran after the caravan and made a very creative lie. He told Naaman that two prophets showed up just after he left and they wanted to give them some silver and sets of clothes. Naaman gladly gave these to Gehazi.

Gehazi brought them back and hid them. Elisha gave Gehazi a chance to come clean by asking him where he had gone. Gehazi lied again and said, "Nowhere." After all the miracles he had seen, all the supernatural discernment in Elisha, you wonder how he thought he would get away with this. Not only that, but he had so much evidence that there is a God who is just and righteous.

Elisha told Gehazi that his spirit was there when Naaman got down from his chariot. I imagine Gehazi's heart stopped about then. Elisha asked, "Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants?" Is this the time to get rich? Should our simple obedience to God warrant earthly treasure, or are we laying up treasure in heaven? Gehazi demonstrated that he was after earthly reward. God does supply our physical need, but where is our heart set? Why do we serve? If we must make up stories, we know something is amiss.

Remember Jesus' words: Lay up your treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust corrupts and where thieves cannot break in and steal it.