Our context is 2 Kings 5, a familiar story to many. I had read this before time and time again, but today it really hit me. God seems to reveal new each morning His ways to us, and in the timing that we need to understand them. It is always amazing to me, though you would think by now I would have gotten used to God showing Himself over and over and be accustomed to it. I find that when I am quiet and open my heart to what the Lord would show me, He shows me faults I didn't know I had, and the strength by which to conquer them. It is only when we rely on the Lord for this direction that we will ever learn and be changed by the Spirit of God revealed in His Word.
The story of Naaman and Elisha is full of things for me to learn, and I am sure that I am not the only one, so I decided to write about it here. This blog also serves to remind me of the things God has shown me in the past, as I can look at them down the road and see where His hand has led me.
Naaman was no ordinary leper, but an army captain, a man of some power, and known for his strength and might in his post. Through his battles, this young Israelite girl comes into his home to be a servant. It is the faith of this little lady that first startled me. She simply stated that she knew that God's servant, Elisha, could heal by the power God had given him. Elisha steps in to help the king of Israel, who was distraught by the idea of another king sending someone wishing to be healed. The king thought this was a trap, yet the little servant girl was faithfully witnessing to the power of God. Even though it is not always God's will that someone be healed, she knew that God's power is shown through our weakness. She didn't seem to have spite in her heart towards her master, but love. A girl who spends her time catering to others, with no hope of having anything of her own, reached out in love and shared God with the very ones who held her captive. That is amazing point #1
Elisha saw the timing and opportunity brought to him by the Lord to reveal the power and simplicity of faith in this man's life. As we were talking about this story as a family, I was asking the kids questions, and the answer I wanted was not what I got, but my wife gave me the answer I needed. When I questioned about Naaman's problem(besides leprosy) Sara reminded me that his lack of faith was still the problem. When Elisha sent a lowly messenger to the great army captain, never even coming to greet him personally, Naaman gets angry. Naaman has assumed that the man of God himself would come to meet this mighty warrior. The pride and selfishness of Naaman is immediately struck down by this first scene. Naaman's own servants remind him that he traveled quite a distance to be healed by God's prophet. Yet, in his own mind, he was disgraced and offended by how God chose to do the healing. How often is this our own mindset? We come to God, already decided in our hearts and minds how God will do His work. We think we can dictate to the creator and Lord of all things how and when He should show His strength and might in our lives. We may need to learn the lesson Naaman learned.
The simple way of washing in the water of the Jordan seemed silly to Naaman. After all, the Jordan river was known for being pretty muddy and dirty. How would washing is filthy water make him healed of a deadly disease that eats flesh away? He was probably in terrible pain, and having to care for his wounds regularly. Naaman did not have a splinter or a back ache, but a ravaging, horrible disease that he has seen the end result of more than once. In our lives, how often do we refuse to see the simple principles of reading God's Word, obeying it completely, seeking God in prayer as so simple yet the exact prescription God gives? We tend to think that we know better and that God must be able to overcome our lack of desire for His Word to change us. Often, we think that God should do some miraculous work, overriding the disobedience we live in, and make us better out of grace. While God's grace in offering salvation is unable to truly be comprehended, it is still by grace through faith that we are saved.
Salvation by grace through faith that is offered by God is such a simple plan. It is so simple a child can understand it, yet it requires complete faith in God to accomplish. We cannot prove certain things, but must accept by faith the saving work of Jesus on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. We cannot just say a prayer, mouthing the words but not really believing in our hearts that God has the power to do what He says He will. The words without the faith are meaningless, just as Naaman washing would do nothing. It was not the action that healed him, but the faith that God was able and willing to heal that caused Naaman to do such a seemingly silly thing.
The moment Naaman stepped out in faith, believing that God was willing and able to cleanse him, the deed was done. This mighty man of war took a dip in the muddy water and was released from his torment. This reminds me of how the faith to step out and believe in Jesus for salvation is such a simple plan. Realize who God is and that we are sinners in need of salvation. We need to be cleansed of our sin. Naaman's problem was evident to all, but we all have hidden sins, or scars. Some are more obvious to others, but God knows them all. When we realize our condition and that God offers us the cure, we just reach out and ask for His help, he will give us new life, cleansed and whole from the inside out.
There is much more to this story, and I will try to write more later. Have a great day.
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