Faith Of A Child

FAITH OF A CHILD (2 KINGS 5:1-27)

A pastor and a lawyer are seated next to each other on a flight from Los Angeles to New York. The lawyer asks if the pastor would like to play a fun game. The pastor, tired, just wants to take a nap, politely declines, and rolls over to the window to catch a few winks.

The lawyer persists and explains that the game is easy and a lot of fun. He explains, “I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me $5.00, and vise versa.” Again, he declines and tries to get some sleep.

The lawyer, now agitated, says, “Okay, if you don't know the answer you pay me $5.00, and if I don't know the answer, I will pay you $500.00.” This catches the pastor’s attention and figuring there will be no end to this torment unless he plays, agrees to the game.

The lawyer asks the first question. “What's the distance from the earth to the moon?” The pastor doesn't say a word, reaches into his wallet, pulls out a $5.00 bill and hands it to the lawyer.

Okay says the lawyer, your turn. The pastor asks the lawyer, “What goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four legs?” The lawyer, puzzled, takes out his laptop computer and searches all his references, no answer. He taps into the air phone with his modem and searches the net and the library of congress, no answer. Frustrated, he sends e-mails to all his friends and coworker, to no avail.

After an hour, he wakes the preacher, and hands him $500.

The pastor says, “Thank you,” and turns back to get some more sleep. The lawyer, who is more than a little miffed, wakes the pastor and asks, “Well, what's the answer?” Without a word, the pastor reaches into his wallet, hands the lawyer $5.00, and goes back to sleep

In the fifth chapter of 2 Kings two stubborn men were on a collision course, one was a servant of the God of Israel and the other one a servant of the king of Syria. After the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel were divided at the death of Solomon, the northern kingdom went into an unending and unrepentant period of apostasy. Second Kings was a transitional period in Israel’s history, and the torch was passed from Elijah to Elisha. Syria switched from competitor in 1 Kings to conqueror in 2 Kings. The prophets prophesied extensively and almost exclusively in the northern kingdom by this time. They were thick and thin in the frontline of activity against the idolatrous northern kings and the hostile invading kings. Enter Naaman, the supreme and stubborn leprous captain of the Syrian army who initially opposed Elisha but eventually obeyed him..

Can people change? From willfulness to willingness, and from stubborn obstinacy to simple obedience? Why are people so resistant to change for the better good? How do people overcome stubborn pride and keep themselves humble?

Confess your Weakness

1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. 2 Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!” 8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” (2 Kings 5:1-8)

A skeptical physician said to his Christian patient, “I could never understand saving faith. I believe in God and I suppose I believe in Jesus Christ—I am not conscious of any doubts. I believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and I believe in the Bible, yet I am not saved, I do not feel God near me. What is the matter with me?”