April 14, 2010

Today's reading: I Kings 13, 14, 15; Psalm 14, 44, 74, 104, 134; Proverbs 14

I Kings 13:4-6, "And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before."

I have a friend that gives an account that when he was a young Christian that the place he worked had a very antagonistic person working there. He tells how the man would speak badly against Christ and Christianity. He was so hostile toward the Lord and anything Christian that the man would nearly pick a fight with my friend. One day my friend came to the breaking point and could no longer stand the taunts, jeers and personal attacks by the giant of a man. He said that the man dared him to prove the Bible to be true. My friend reached up and grabbed the man by the nose and twisted or "wrung" the man's nose until it began to bleed. My friend then quoted Proverbs 30:33, "Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife."

This man not only stopped harassing my friend; but, became pretty close. I believe that he said that he did not know if the man ever trusted Christ as his Saviour; but, he heard from my friend how to be saved.

Just like this wicked king in our passage, others around us who know we are a Christian will ask us to pray for them. This king had an urgent need. His hand was withered and he could not use it. He needed a miracle and he asked the man of God to pray for his healing.

If someone asked you to pray for an important need in their life would you be able to get to God on their behalf? I hope so.