What other biblical examples show God's use of simple acts for miraculous outcomes? The Power of the Ordinary in God’s Hands 2 Kings 5:10 is strikingly straightforward: “Elisha sent a messenger, saying, ‘Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be clean.’ ” One river bath—yet complete healing. Scripture consistently shows the Lord pairing unassuming actions with astonishing results. Old Testament Snapshots • Exodus 14:15-16 — Moses simply stretches out his staff: “Lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it.” Walls of water rise; Israel crosses on dry ground. • Exodus 17:5-6 — A tap on a rock: “Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Thirsting multitudes are satisfied in the desert. • Numbers 21:8-9 — A bronze serpent on a pole: “Anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” A glance of faith turns fatal venom into life. • Joshua 6:3-5 — Quiet marching and trumpet blasts: “You shall march around the city… then all the people shall shout.” Jericho’s walls collapse without a single battering ram. • Judges 7:7, 20-22 — Gideon’s 300 break jars and blow trumpets: “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” Confusion routs an army of Midianites. • 1 Kings 17:13-16 — A widow bakes her last bread: “The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted.” The jar keeps refilling through the famine. • 2 Kings 4:2-7 — Empty vessels and a single jar of oil: “Go, borrow vessels… pour out.” Every pot overflows; debts are paid. New Testament Echoes • John 2:7-11 — Water poured into stone jars: “Fill the jars with water.” Moments later, fine wine flows at Cana. • John 6:9-13 — Five loaves and two fish offered: “Have the people sit down.” Over five thousand eat, with twelve baskets left over. • John 9:6-7 — Mud made from spit and dirt: “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam.” A man born blind sees daylight for the first time. • Luke 17:14-15 — Ten lepers obey a walk to the priest: “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” Cleansing comes along the road. • Matthew 17:27 — Peter casts a line: “Take the first fish you catch; when you open its mouth, you will find a coin.” Temple tax paid from a fish’s mouth. • Acts 19:11-12 — Handkerchiefs from Paul’s body: “Diseases left them and evil spirits departed.” Everyday cloth becomes a conduit of divine power. Why God Chooses the Simple • To spotlight His glory, not human ingenuity (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). • To invite faith that rests on His word alone, just as Naaman had to trust a prophet’s instructions. • To show His nearness in daily life—ordinary rivers, staffs, bread, or jars become settings for His presence. Living Application Today • Small acts of obedience—prayer, generosity, a spoken word—are never insignificant when aligned with God’s command. • Expect God’s sufficiency in mundane places. The same Lord who used a Jordan bath still works through humble means to accomplish His purposes. |
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