It happened at the 2008 Olympic Games. Sara Renner, a member of Canada's Cross Country skiing team was leading her part of the race when her ski pole broke. An onlooker quickly handed Sara another pole and she was able to continue and make up ground. Canada won a Silver medal, coming in second in that event.

The wonderful part of this story is that the onlooker was one of the opposing team's coaches, Norwegian Bjornar Haakensmoen. By his action, the Norwegian coach showed the true Olympic spirit of pure sporting competition. Norway didn't win. But everybody, Canadians, Norwegians, and all other countries in the race honor what Bjornar Haakensmoen did when he made it possible for an opposing athlete to compete in a fair manner.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to do the right thing to help others in need. Amen.

Naaman, an important officer in the Syrian army, had come to Israel for one purpose. To be healed of leprosy. God used the prophet Elisha to heal Naaman. Now Naaman was healthy and strong. What would he do next? He was probably eager to go home to his family and friends and say, 'Look! My leprosy is healed.' But there was something else that Naaman did first. He went back to Elisha's house.

'Please take a gift from your servant,' Naaman begged Elisha. He wanted to show his gratitude. But Elisha would take nothing.

'Then please give me two mule-loads of earth,' Naaman asked, 'for I will no longer worship or offer sacrifices to other gods, but only to the Lord.'

It was as if Naaman wanted to take a little piece of the Holy Land back to Syria with him so he  could offer worship to God on Israel's soil. Naaman really meant business about worshipping only the Lord God.

Prayer: Lord, give me a heart that is grateful for all Your goodness to me and help me to worship You alone. Amen.

Naaman's servant, a Hebrew slave girl, told him, 'the prophet of my God will cure your leprosy.' Full of hope, the Syrian army officer traveled to Samaria. Instead of going to the prophet, however, he went to the king. Maybe he thought the king could help him.

The king couldn't help. But Elisha, God's servant, heard about Naaman's need and sent for him. Naaman went to the prophet's house - and because very angry when the prophet sent a servant to answer the door and tell Naaman to go dip in the River Jordan seven times.

'He should have come to the door himself,' Naaman thought. 'I can bathe in my own Syrian river.' And he turned to go home, still not healed.<br><br>One of Naaman's servants coaxed him to do what the prophet had said. Finally, Naaman agreed. He went to the Jordan River and stepped into the water. Six times he dipped right under and came up again. He still had leprosy. The seventh time, when he came up, his skin was healed. His leprosy was gone.

Naaman knew it wasn't the water that healed him. It wasn't Elisha the prophet. It was the God of Israel Himself who had healed Naaman.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You that You are able and willing to help those who humbly ask for Your help and follow Your word. Amen.

If somebody took you from your family, your home, and your country and made you work as a slave in an important army officer's house, how would you feel? Angry? Full of hate? Determined to do as little as possible to help the people who made you a slave?

Or would you be like the young Hebrew girl in today's story who worked for Naaman, an officer in the Syrian army?

Naaman had leprosy, a horrible disease. His Hebrew slave knew the God of Israel could heal Naaman. Would she tell her master? Would you?

The young slave girl did tell Naaman because she knew that God loved Naaman and wanted to heal him. She told her master to visit Elisha, God's prophet who lived in Samaria.

Samaria was a long trip. They had doctors in Syria, although none of them could heal leprosy. Would Naaman believe the little servant girl?

You can read the story in 2 Kings 5 to find out - or you can wait and read tomorrow's story.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for this little girl's faithfulness to You. Help me to be like her. Amen.

It was a sad case. A woman had been sick for twelve long years and she could not find a doctor who was able to help her. Weak through loss of blood, she could hardly stand, let alone press through the crowd to get to Jesus. But somehow, she got close enough that her fingers touched the hem of His robe.

'What good would that do?' somebody may ask. Well, the moment the sick woman's fingers touched Jesus' robe, two things happened. Jesus stopped, turned, and looked through the crowd right at her. 'Be of good cheer, daughter,' Jesus said. 'Your faith has made you well.'

That was the first thing. The second thing was that right away, the woman was made well. After twelve years of suffering she was healed in a moment.<br><br>Only God could do such a thing. And the people who saw it happen knew that Jesus was God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for who You are. Amen.