Tuesday September 20, 2016

Speak Out

-2 KINGS 5:1-6

Key Verse:

"And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy" (2 Kings 5:2,3).

A song writer, moved by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, scripted, "Make me a channel of blessing today, make me a channel of blessing I pray; My life possessing, my service blessing, make me a channel of blessing today". Naaman, captain of the Syrian army, was a great man who had accomplished many things; but he was a leper. He may have sought healing from various quarters to no avail. Eventually, a young girl who was captured from Israel and made a maid of his wife later brought the useful information that got him healed. The faith of the little maid led to the conversion of a renowned warriors of Syria who later testified that there is only one God. Her captivity into Syria was a blessing in disguise. This is a benefit of good upbringing. Though in a strange land, the damsel knew the potency of the God of Israel. As a young girl taken forcefully out of her country, she could have lived in fear and perpetual agony. But she knew that the God of Israel is Omniscient and Omnipresent, and was not timid to speak out the truth. She bore no grudges against Naaman whose troops captured her; rather, her intervention to his sickness caused a great change in Syria as confessions were alluded to the matchless power of the true God. Likewise, we must emulate the boldness of the maid and declare to people that the only escape route out of their problems is Jesus Christ. We must not be intimidated by oppositions around. At all times, our prayers must be to be a channel of blessing to others. Through our prompt intervention, deliverance could be wrought in the lives of hopeless and helpless folks. We must awake and shake off the dust of lethargy and lend a helping hand to the dying.

Thought for the day: Gospel duty demands a lifeline for the perishing.

Bible Reading in one Year:PROVERBS 12 - 14