Understanding and faith not enough

Albert Bogle February 01, 2022 0 6

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1 Corinthians 13: 2, 2 Kings 5: 1-14 (NIVUK)

(1 Corinthians 13) 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

(2 Kings 5) 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 of raiders 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? Make the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.’ 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.’

11 But Naaman went away angry and said, ‘I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?’ So he turned and went off in a rage.

13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, “Wash and be cleansed”!’ 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

How often have we heard quoted to us in church ‘By grace you are saved through faith’? But the above passages opens us into another dimension of faith.  They suggest faith and knowledge and fine preaching and even deep teaching are not enough. And even faith strong enough to move a mountain will amount to nothing if it is without love. How we need to hear and understand and live out this kind of love if the Church today is going to reach a weary and broken creation. Love leads us to act. Faith without love leads us to pontificate. Lord save us from fine words. Restore to each of us who name your name the love that holds nothing back

PRAYER:

Lord,

I was weary and worried,

I knew we’ve messed things up.

Speaking personally,

I’ve messed so much up.

Hurt friends,

hurt family

hurt creation.

I thought,

I need healing,

I need forgiveness,

I need to belong!

Like Naaman

I went in search of answers

I listened to a prophet preach

so much was revealed,

I saw in part but I wasn’t moved,

Love was not present.

I went in search of a great teacher,

he spoke with Biblical authority,

I heard in part but I didn’t act,

Love was not present.

I went in search of a miracle worker,

a person of great faith,

I believed in part but didn’t stay,

Love was not present.

Then I found Love.

searching for me,

in the life of a wounded stranger

His Love has become my Saviour

Lord, I was weary and worried

You embraced me without a word spoken

And hope returned along with faith