BETTER THAN BEFORE - All Our Daily Bread Daily Devotionals for 2026

Our Daily Bread - Monday, December 6, 2016
by RBC Ministries

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BETTER THAN BEFORE

READ:

Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
-2 Kings 5:14

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Daniel 3-4
1 John 5

As infants, my children had nearly perfect skin. Their flesh was soft - they had no dry elbows or rough patches on their feet. Smooth and new, it contrasted with mine, which was marked by years of various scars and callouses.
As a mighty warrior and the commander of the Syrian army, Naaman may have had scuffed skin and battle scars, but he also had a serious skin disease - leprosy. When a servant suggested that the prophet Elisha could heal him, Naaman visited him. He followed Elisha's instructions, and his diseased flesh became "like the flesh of a little child" (2 Kings 5:14). This cure left Naaman better off both physically and spiritually. After being healed, he proclaimed, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel" (v.15). Through this miraculous experience, he learned that there is only one true God (1 Corinthians 8:6).
Like Naaman, we can learn important lessons about God as a result of our life experiences. Receiving a blessing may show us about His mercy and goodness (Matthew 7:11). Surviving or enduring a trial may help us see God's sufficiency and care. Growing in the knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3:18) will always leave us better off spiritually than we were before.- Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Father, help me to learn more about You as I travel through this world. Let this knowledge inspire fresh praise in my heart and a desire to become more like You.

Lessons about God are embedded in life experiences.

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