Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

September 1
Saturday


REFUSING HELP

READ:
2 Kings 5:9-14
______________________________

The manifestation of the
Spirit is given to each
one for the profit of all.
__1 Corinthians 12:7
______________________________

In 1869, John Roebling dreamed of building a massive bridge over the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Unfortunately, at the outset of the project, his foot was crushed in an accident. In the recovery process, Roebling insisted he knew best and took charge of his own medical care. After refusing help, he began to show signs of tetanus. Before long, Roebling's jaw had locked into a permanent smile. Seizures and dementia plagued him until his death weeks later.

The Bible records a story about an independent person who balked at the help offered him. Naaman, a great warrior of Syria, suffered from leprosy. He sought out the prophet Elisha for healing but had preconceived ideas about how the healing should take place. So when Elisha sent his messenger to tell him to dip in the Jordan River seven times, Naaman was enraged. But Naaman's own servants gave wise advice: "If the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it?" (2 Kings 5:13). And so Naaman followed the prophet's simple instructions, and his leprosy was cured.

God gives us gifts to aid each other (1 Cor. 12:7). But self-sufficiency shuts the door on much-needed help. Let's be open to the helping hand He provides. __Dennis Fisher
____________________________________________________________

~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Lord extends His gracious hand~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~To those in desperate need,~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~He lifts them up, He helps them stand~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~Through caring saints and loving deed. __D. De Haan~~~~~~
____________________________________________________________

The first step in getting help is humility.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ 2 Kings 5:9-14*************

9 Then Naaman went with
his horses and chariot,
and he stood at the door
of Elisha's house. 10 And
Elisha sent a messenger
to him, saying, "Go and
wash in the Jordan seven
times, and your flesh shall
be restored to you, and
you shall be clean," 11 But
Naaman became furious,
and went away and said,

Indeed, I said to myself,
'He will surely come out
to me, and stand and call
on the name of the LORD
his God, and wave his hand
over the place, and heal
the leprosy.' 12 Are not the
Abanah and the Pharpar, the
rivers of Damascus, better
than all the waters of Israel?
Could I not wash in them
and be clean?" So he turned
and went away in a rage.

And his servants came
near and spoke to him,
and said, "My father, if the
prophet had told you to do
something great, would
you not have done it? How
much more then, when
he says to you, 'Wash,
and be clean'?" 4 So he
went down and dipped
seven times in the Jordan,
according to the saying of
the man of God; and his
flesh was restored like the
flesh of a little child, and he
was clean.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Naaman, whose name means "pleasantness," was commander-in-
chief of the army of Syria. The miraculous healing that resulted from
his encounter with Elisha was for more than his own health. In Luke
4:27, Jesus referred to this healing as a demonstration of God's work
in a Gentile because of the spriritual apathy of His own people Israel.
The motivation for Jesus' words? The people had rejected His claim
of fulfilling God's promises of Messiah found in Isaiah. __WEC