"Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean?" 2 Kings 5:12      

Naaman, the Syrian captain, was a leper. Through a pious Jewish servant girl he was directed to the prophet Elisha in Samaria for a cure of his disease. Elisha ordered Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times. This made Naaman angry. Why should he bathe in Jordan? "Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean?" thus he reasoned. Naaman was not ready to follow the simple words of the man of God, who knew better. It was only upon the urging of his servants that he took the prescribed baths, and to his joy he was cleansed of the dread disease.      

Naaman had to learn what every believer has to learn. God's ways of helping us spiritualy and temporally are so simple that people at times rebel against their very simplicity. "Believe, and you will be saved," God says. Man asks: "Can it be as simple as this? Surely I must do something great myself" "Be baptized for the forgiveness of sins," God says. But man again thinks that cannot be. How can simple water work the great miracle of faith and forgiveness? And so even some Christians try to make a mere sign of Baptism instead of a means of grace and a Sacrament.      

Christian friends, The same if true of the LORD'S Supper, where in the bread and wine we receive Christ's body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. But let us not forget. It is God's Word that counts, not what we think. Only faith can grasp the truth of it.  

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the LORD, Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word. What moe can He say than to you He hath said, To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled?  

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - A childlike faith and a trusting spirit always takes Thee at Thy Word without any doubt.