Post by Woody Williams on Sept 19, 2024 7:23:56 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- II Kings 5:1-14
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Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man
and in high favour with his master, because by him the LORD had given
victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from
leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young
girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.
She said to her mistress, ‘If only my lord were with the prophet who
is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’ So Naaman went in
and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had
said. And the king of Aram said, ‘Go then, and I will send along a
letter to the king of Israel.’
He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels
of gold, and ten sets of garments. He brought the letter to the king
of Israel, which read, ‘When this letter reaches you, know that I
have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his
leprosy.’ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his
clothes and said, ‘Am I God, to give death or life, that this man
sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how
he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.’
But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn
his clothes, he sent a message to the king, ‘Why have you torn your
clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a
prophet in Israel.’ So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and
halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to
him, saying, ‘Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh
shall be restored and you shall be clean.’ But Naaman became angry
and went away, saying, ‘I thought that for me he would surely come
out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and would
wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! Are not Abana and
Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of
Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?’ He turned and went
away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, ‘Father,
if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you
not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, “Wash,
and be clean”?’ So he went down and immersed himself seven times in
the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was
restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.
Devotional
----------
God has always ministered healing through his people. The Old
Testament records many healings. Naaman was not a Jew, but when he
came seeking healing, God responded through the prophet Elisha.
Naaman was indignant at the treatment method. He was expecting
special treatment from Elisha. His anger was moderated by a slave who
reminded him that it was a simple thing to do. Naaman laid aside his
pride and went to the Jordan river. Because God is the healer, a
simple request is all that is necessary. A humble heart open with
faith receives the gift. Do you pray for each other for healing in
your home? In your church?
Prayer
--------
Heal my wounds, my pride, my ills and all other manner of issues in
my life, Lord. Amen
----------
Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man
and in high favour with his master, because by him the LORD had given
victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from
leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young
girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.
She said to her mistress, ‘If only my lord were with the prophet who
is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’ So Naaman went in
and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had
said. And the king of Aram said, ‘Go then, and I will send along a
letter to the king of Israel.’
He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels
of gold, and ten sets of garments. He brought the letter to the king
of Israel, which read, ‘When this letter reaches you, know that I
have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his
leprosy.’ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his
clothes and said, ‘Am I God, to give death or life, that this man
sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how
he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.’
But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn
his clothes, he sent a message to the king, ‘Why have you torn your
clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a
prophet in Israel.’ So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and
halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to
him, saying, ‘Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh
shall be restored and you shall be clean.’ But Naaman became angry
and went away, saying, ‘I thought that for me he would surely come
out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and would
wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! Are not Abana and
Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of
Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?’ He turned and went
away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, ‘Father,
if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you
not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, “Wash,
and be clean”?’ So he went down and immersed himself seven times in
the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was
restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.
Devotional
----------
God has always ministered healing through his people. The Old
Testament records many healings. Naaman was not a Jew, but when he
came seeking healing, God responded through the prophet Elisha.
Naaman was indignant at the treatment method. He was expecting
special treatment from Elisha. His anger was moderated by a slave who
reminded him that it was a simple thing to do. Naaman laid aside his
pride and went to the Jordan river. Because God is the healer, a
simple request is all that is necessary. A humble heart open with
faith receives the gift. Do you pray for each other for healing in
your home? In your church?
Prayer
--------
Heal my wounds, my pride, my ills and all other manner of issues in
my life, Lord. Amen