Even a Child

A slave, far from her home, this little maid was nevertheless one of God’s witnesses, unconsciously fulfilling the purpose for which God had chosen Israel as His people. As she ministered in that heathen home, her sympathies were aroused in behalf of her master; and, remembering the wonderful miracles of healing wrought through Elisha, she said to her mistress, “Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.” She knew that the power of Heaven was with Elisha, and she believed that by this power Naaman could be healed.

The conduct of the captive maid, the way that she bore herself in that heathen home, is a strong witness to the power of early home training. There is no higher trust than that committed to fathers and mothers in the care and training of their children. Parents have to do with the very foundations of habit and character. By their example and teaching, the future of their children is largely decided.

Happy are the parents whose lives are a true reflection of the divine, so that the promises and commands of God awaken in the child gratitude and reverence; the parents … who by teaching the child to love and trust and obey them, are teaching him to love and trust and obey his Father in heaven. Parents who impart to the child such a gift have endowed him with a treasure more precious than the wealth of all the ages, a treasure as enduring as eternity.

We know not in what line our children may be called to serve. They may spend their lives within the circle of the home; they may engage in life’s common vocations, or go as teachers of the gospel to heathen lands; but all are alike called to be missionaries for God, ministers of mercy to the world.

He who sent … the little Israelitish maiden to the help of Naaman, the Syrian captain, sends men and women and youth today as His representatives to those in need of divine help and guidance.
Conflict and Courage p. 227
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Prayer Requests
—–I need God’s guidance in an important matter. Rose
—–Please pray for my sweet Aunt Pattie! She had heart surgery! Sarah
—–please pray for a friend of mine who was put in the hospital again his hemoglobin is very low. he is bleeding somewhere and they cannot find it.ran all kinds of test. Mary
—–my father had a stroke, he can’t speak. Help pray for him, and all in all pray he accept Jesus as King of his life. N
—–Please pray for all Christians who are being persecuted because of their faith. MS
—–Prayer Warriors my Auntie is suffering with sciatica….the Doctor prescribed medication. Lorrie
—–Please pray for my 2 year old daughter who has been sick with a fever since Friday night. She has been to the doctor but we may need to return as the fever is still high. Rachelle
—–Please pray for Cole, a newborn, who had surgery yesterday. Michelle
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Dear Friends,
When Esther was a teenager, she used to baby-sit for various evangelistic meetings. When the parents would leave the little children in her care, the little ones would often cry and want their mother. Esther would take the crying child in her arms and tell them how she remembered when I would leave her in the care of those who were babysitting for some meetings and how she alone she felt. She felt as if those people were trying to steal her, and she would never see her mama again. She would assure them that their mama would come back for them as soon as the meeting was over. The child would stop their crying and cling to Esther. Here was someone who had gone through the same experience and understood their fears.

Just so, we have a Saviour Who understands our fears, our perplexities, our heartaches, all that we are going through, for He went through even more. Our Loving Redeemer left the glories of Heaven where He was worshiped and adored and came to this dark and sinful world to rescue us from the hand of the evil one. “In the days of his flesh…he…offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared, Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered, And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Heb 5:7-9 “He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him, he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him, he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isa 53:3-12

What a wonderful God we serve! He went through so much sorrow and grief for us, that we can be saved. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing [our] trespasses unto [us],” but placing our sins upon His “Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 2 Cor 5:19, John 3:16 He died the most agonizing death being separated from His Father in Heaven, that a way might be prepared for us to enter His Glorious Kingdom. He had “not where to lay his head,” that we might inherit beautiful mansions. Oh! What love! What wondrous love!

Let us cling to Him just as tightly as those little children would cling to Esther Marie for the comfort that they needed. Let us cast all our care upon Him for He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7) Let us place our weak and trembling hand in His all-powerful, mighty Hand and follow Him all the way to the Kingdom, that His joy may be full.

Rose