Notes of Faith May 4, 2024
Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.
2 Kings 5:1
Acts 10:1-8
Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, "Cornelius!" 4 And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 "Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; 6 he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea." 7 When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 8 and after he had explained everything to
Acts 10 tells the story of Cornelius, a Roman soldier, who nonetheless was a “devout man...who feared God.” He gave generously to those in need and “prayed to God” faithfully (verses 1-2). God took note of Cornelius’ heart and graciously brought the Gospel of Christ to him.
A similar situation occurred in the Old Testament with a Syrian military commander who seems to have been used by God to defeat one of Israel’s enemies. But he had leprosy. God arranged for this man, Naaman, to learn about the prophet Elisha through whom he might be healed. So Naaman traveled from Syria to Samaria to meet Elisha and was indeed healed, causing him to give praise to Elisha’s God. The grace of God is extended to many in situations that might surprise us.
Our ministry to a non-believer might be an open door for God to extend saving grace to them—just as God extended grace to us.
Every day we are objects of the grace of God.
Let the love of God live through you and watch what happens! It is exciting and brings the greatest of eternal blessings to see God bring people to Himself in salvation!
Pastor Dale