DAY 167 Read 2 Kings 4 and 5.
Today's reading: Elisha is sometimes called the "miracle working prophet." We marvel at the ministry of this man of God among the stiff-necked people of an apostate nation.
Memory gem: "If the prophet had commanded you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much rather, then, when he says to you 'Wash, and be clean'?" (2 Kings 5:13, RSV).
Thought for today:
We raise the question, Is God particular? For one example, take your Bible and turn to the fifth chapter of the second book of Kings. Naaman comes from a far country. He comes in his great chariot with his fine horses and retinue of servants.
He drives up in front of the prophet's house, but Elisha merely sends his servant to the door. If such a man of nobility should come to your door, would you not rush out to greet him yourself? But no, that is not what the prophet of God did. Acting on God's instruction, he sent his servant out with the message, "If Naaman wants to be healed of leprosy, let him go down to Jordan and bathe seven times."
Naaman went away very angry, saying, "Here I am, the captain of the army of Syria, with my fine horses, my chest of great treasures, and all my fine apparel. I thought he would place his hand on the malady and call upon his God to heal me. I am not going to get down in that muddy Jordan. If I need a series of baths, why not Abana and Pharpar, the crystal-clear rivers of Damascus?" And so he went away in rage.
But, friends, later he thought better of it. On the advice of one of his servants, he finally went down and bathed in old Jordan just as God had instructed him. He dipped beneath the water, but when he came up he was still just the same. Down again; up again--just the same. What difference did it make? Why go down seven times, as God had said--water is water! He was just the same after he came up the sixth time.
But when he came up the seventh time, a new light was in his eyes--he was healed--his flesh was like a baby's. Ask Naaman, as he comes up dancing with health and vitality, if God is particular. He will say, "Yes, God is particular." Thank God he learned that lesson in time--God is particular!
Today's reading: Elisha is sometimes called the "miracle working prophet." We marvel at the ministry of this man of God among the stiff-necked people of an apostate nation.
Memory gem: "If the prophet had commanded you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much rather, then, when he says to you 'Wash, and be clean'?" (2 Kings 5:13, RSV).
Thought for today:
We raise the question, Is God particular? For one example, take your Bible and turn to the fifth chapter of the second book of Kings. Naaman comes from a far country. He comes in his great chariot with his fine horses and retinue of servants.
He drives up in front of the prophet's house, but Elisha merely sends his servant to the door. If such a man of nobility should come to your door, would you not rush out to greet him yourself? But no, that is not what the prophet of God did. Acting on God's instruction, he sent his servant out with the message, "If Naaman wants to be healed of leprosy, let him go down to Jordan and bathe seven times."
Naaman went away very angry, saying, "Here I am, the captain of the army of Syria, with my fine horses, my chest of great treasures, and all my fine apparel. I thought he would place his hand on the malady and call upon his God to heal me. I am not going to get down in that muddy Jordan. If I need a series of baths, why not Abana and Pharpar, the crystal-clear rivers of Damascus?" And so he went away in rage.
But, friends, later he thought better of it. On the advice of one of his servants, he finally went down and bathed in old Jordan just as God had instructed him. He dipped beneath the water, but when he came up he was still just the same. Down again; up again--just the same. What difference did it make? Why go down seven times, as God had said--water is water! He was just the same after he came up the sixth time.
But when he came up the seventh time, a new light was in his eyes--he was healed--his flesh was like a baby's. Ask Naaman, as he comes up dancing with health and vitality, if God is particular. He will say, "Yes, God is particular." Thank God he learned that lesson in time--God is particular!
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