Word of Encouragement (07/03/2024)
But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, "Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage. (2 Kings 5:11-12)
Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army, but he was a leper. A Jewish maid in his household spoke of Elisha to his wife. So, he came to Israel with his king’s letter and gifts to the king of Israel, requesting Naaman’s healing. The king of Israel saw it as a ploy to invade Israel and lamented. Elisha heard of it and told the king to send Naaman over to him. When Naaman came to his house, he sent a messenger, telling him to wash himself seven times in the Jordan River. What we have in today’s passage is Naaman’s angry reaction. His reaction shows his pagan understanding of prayer.
Why was Naaman so upset? He might have been upset by the poor treatment he received from Elisha: “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me....” When he got to the king of Israel, he probably received an official welcome from the king. But this prophet would not even come to the door to speak to him in person, let alone invite him into his humble abode! As if he were nobody, Elisha sent out a messenger to deal with him. He took it as a great insult to him. Why was he so upset? A pastor friend of mine once said, “Naaman thought that he was a great general who happened to be a leper. Elisha treated him like a leper who happened to be a general.”
Do we think that our status and accomplishments matter before God? Do we think deep inside that God should give special treatment to us because we have succeeded in life and done something significant? Are we not helpless creatures and unworthy sinners in desperate need of God’s grace? Do we have any right to demand anything from God? Is prayer possible apart from the posture of humility?
Naaman was upset because the “treatment plan,” which Elisha prescribed for him did not fit his idea of prayer: “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.” He did not understand that divine healing was not dependent on some religious ceremonies or extraordinary human effort to impress the gods. The 450 prophets of Baal did all kinds of things, including self-mutilation, but nothing happened. Elijah simply prayed and God answered by sending fire from heaven and consuming the sacrifice and the altar! Healing is God’s work. All that we need to do is to approach God in humility with a broken and contrite heart (Ps. 51:17). Indeed, when he humbled himself and did what Elisha told him to do at the persuasion of his servants, he was healed of his leprosy.
Of course, we cannot approach God even with a broken and contrite heart unless our heart is sprinkled with the sin-forgiving and guilt-removing blood of Jesus Christ. We have the assurance that God will hear our prayers in all compassion and love when we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. What a blessing it is that we can pray in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! Let us not waste this wonderful gift!