The Work of Faith
(2Kgs. 5:1-3, 14)
Our lives have close relationship with faith. Our daily tasks such as eating, taking an airplane, or visiting a doctor are, in fact, acts rooted in faith. This stems from our trust in the safety of our food, the successful arrival, and the competency of the doctor to provide appropriate assistance. However, for us Christians, in addition to this common faith, there exists a higher dimension of 'spiritual faith'. This is the faith that creates miracles and pleases God.
1. Human in Despair
　　Around the 9th century BC in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, there was a prophet called Elisha. During that time, there was a military commander named Naaman in the neighboring nation of Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy (2 Kings 5:1). Despite achieving victories on the battlefield and receiving acclaim from the people, Naaman was dying due to his illness. Similarly, in our world, many individuals may look healthy outwardly but are suffering internally from wounds, despair, and diseases. It is crucial to remember that only Jesus Christ, the true source of hope, can rescue us from this state of spiritual death.
2. Message of hope
However, in Naaman's house, there was a young girl who had been taken captive from Israel. One day, she said "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:3). Her words were reported to Naaman's wife and then to Naaman himself, and eventually reached the king of Aram. Naaman gained permission from the king to go to Israel. This is a clear example of how faith stems from hearing. We must not listen to negative and despairing words. Instead, l et us only listen to and spread messages of positivity rooted in God's Word.

3. Faith that experiences miracles
　　As Naaman arrived in Israel, he was sent to the house of the prophet Elisha. However, Elisha did not go out to meet him; instead, he 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” (2 Kings 5:10). At first, Naaman was angered by Elisha’s dismissive response and considered leaving. However, he chose to take the advice of his servants and obey the command. As Naaman immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, his body was miraculously cleansed, becoming as pure as a child’s skin. This stands as evidenced of the miraculous outcomes that occur when one humbly believes in and follows the word of God, setting aside pride, stubbornness, and arrogance. May we also pray to live a life that brings pleasure to God by humbling ourselves completely and obeying His word without hesitation