Life calls us to look for solutions when we face overwhelming challenges; we need the Wisdom of God in order to handle things. We can face physical, financial, emotional, relational, etc., issues that have the potential to devastate or even destroy our lives. As professing believers, we may face bigger issues with God when we try to take matters into our own hands thinking we know how things should go.
It is difficult for a heart governed by pride to take a humble posture before God; we love to demand our own way. As well, it is devastating for many with money, who begin to realize they cannot buy their way out of their desperation. Scripture has many stories about the difficulties pride and greed bring to human life. We will read about one of those stories, today.
In the Old Testament Book of Second Kings, we read about the life of Naaman—a wealthy military servant for the country of Aram. Naaman is accustomed to dealing with the king and elite people in government; he is honored and respected by the very rich. In fact, Naaman expects everyone to show him deference; pride has his heart but leprosy claims his body. No amount of money can buy him healing and God’s economy is grace.
We do not get to direct the terms of God’s grace. We obey the Word and grace is there to support and supply what is needed. The prophet Elisha is not moved by Naaman’s money or prestige nor is God. There is no favoritism with the Lord; all are welcome to come and receive salvation. Elisha simply brings a willing heart to do the will of God—which is to make Naaman whole. So, Elisha does not play the worldly game of stroking Naaman’s ego or increasing his self-centered pride. God uses Elisha to humble this mighty military man by ignoring his expectations. Elisha does not honor Naaman by even giving him a face-to-face conversation. Elisha simply sends a message to Naaman asking him to go dip himself seven times in a dirty and muddy river. Naaman must decide where to place his faith; it means a redirection of his thinking. God’s thoughts and ways are not our ways! (Isa 55:8-9).
God loves to heal his human creation, so he is not trying to make life difficult for Naaman, but wholeness comes only by faith and God’s Grace. It is the same for us. We all must learn healing and salvation comes solely on God’s terms.
2 Kings 5:1-14 NLT The Healing of Naaman
1 The king of Aram had great admiration for Naaman, the commander of his army, because through him the Lord had given Aram great victories. But though Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy.
2 At this time Aramean raiders had invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naaman’s wife as a maid. 3 One day the girl said to her mistress, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.”
4 So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said. 5 “Go and visit the prophet,” the king of Aram told him. “I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter to the king of Israel said: “With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy.”
7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? Why is this man asking me to heal someone with leprosy? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.”
8 But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in dismay, he sent this message to him: “Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me, and he will learn that there is a true prophet here in Israel.”
9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.”
11 But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! 12 Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage.
13 But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” 14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for this testimony from the life of Naaman. This lesson makes it clear our human minds must be renewed, because our expectations of how you will heal us may not be according to your terms and plans. We all need some kind of healing in your wholeness, Lord. So, today, we pray for your grace to fill us and bring us closer to you. Broken lives are made new in your presence. Jesus, you are our Healer and your work is welcome in our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.