Elisha
June 25
2 Kings 5:9-14
The unbelieving commander
Naaman went with his horses and chariots to the house where Elisha the prophet was staying. When he arrived at the house, Elisha told his servant to give Naaman this message; “Go to the Jordan River and wash yourself in the water seven times and you will be cured.”
Naaman was upset because Elisha had not even come out to speak to him and cure him right there on the spot. Then Naaman added, “Besides, aren’t the rivers back home good enough? I could have washed in them and be cured.”
But Naaman’s servants said. “Sir, surely if the prophet had told you to do something difficult you would have done it. Why don’t you just go down into the river and do what the prophet told you.”
So Naaman went down to the Jordan River, and when he gone in and dipped in it seven times, he was completely cured and his skin became like that of a young boy.
How can I overcome my doubt?
From birth, children trust their parents completely, and as they get older, they slowly learn to trust others around them. But because we are human, we sometimes forget or cannot do what we have promised. As you have probably discovered, sooner or later, someone will let you down.
Because we think of God in a human way, we may wonder if He will also let us down—especially if He has not answered our prayers in the way we expected. But we should keep trusting God and know that He will never let us down; that He answers our prayers in the very best way. Naaman expected to be healed in a certain way but, when things worked out differently, he almost gave up. If he had gone home right then, he would have missed out on God’s answer.
One way in which you can grow in your faith and learn to trust God more is to read the Bible. By reading about His faithfulness over thousands of years we are encouraged to trust Him completely. Remember, God has not changed and He will never change. He is able to do far more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Verse for today
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
