(2 Kings 5:1-27) Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in the view of his master, and eminent, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but afflicted with leprosy. 2 Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 And she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “The girl who is from the land of Israel spoke such and such.” 5 Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothes.
6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 But when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to keep alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.”
8 Now it happened, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why did you tear your clothes? Just have him come to me, and he shall learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and stood at the doorway of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” 11 But Naaman was furious and went away, and he said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will certainly come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the site and cure the leprosy.’ 12 Are Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, not 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. 13 Then his servants approached and spoke to him, saying, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, in accordance with the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15 Then he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; so please accept a gift from your servant now.” 16 But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will accept nothing.” And he urged him to accept it, but he refused. 17 Then Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer a burnt offering nor a sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. 18 Regarding this matter may the Lord forgive your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord please forgive your servant in this matter.” 19 He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went some distance from him.
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is everything well?” 22 And he said, “Everything is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.’” 23 Naaman said, “Be sure to take two talents.” And he urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes, and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him. 24 When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed. 25 But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.”
26 Then he said to him, “Did my heart not go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to accept money and to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, oxen, and male and female slaves? 27 Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence afflicted with leprosy, as white as snow.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
Naaman was told to dip seven times in a specific (not so clean) river. Just like most people, the simplicity of salvation through Jesus seems too "simple" and therefore, offensive to their personal integrity. But just as Naaman had to put away his pride and his doubt, and "just do it" in order to be completely healed, to be saved requires a person to humbly take a step of faith and put their faith and trust in the Lord.
To ask God's forgiveness for all our sins is to be washed by the living water of the Lord Jesus Christ. This includes the sins we have not yet committed, because God's grace protects us for all eternity. Not only should we be so very thankful for His faithfulness, we should never take God's grace for granted. This is what Gehazi did when he ran after Naaman for a reward. As believers, we will not lose our salvation, but God will allow consequences into our lives.
Naaman on the other hand did not want to take God's healing for granted. Wanting to give God a sacrifice (not as payment but) of thankfulness, he knew that the king of Aram would make him give payment and bow down to other gods instead. Naaman also sincerely wanted to know that he was still forgiven and secure with the Lord, and therefore, his heart remained set on worshiping God alone. In our belief, we can have moments of doubt, which is okay, as long as we take those moments to seek out the answers so we can then move forward with confidence in God's truth.
Because our salvation is a spiritual journey in our relationship with the Lord and getting to know Him better, we'll have ah-ha moments throughout life, no matter how long we've been walking with Him. What Naaman still didn't know yet, is how God would have honored and blessed him if he had worshipped Him openly in his country, while refusing the king's orders to show honor to the pagan gods. And maybe later on, he did trust God to that extent.
No one can earn their way to heaven, or pay their way to heaven, and no one should ever make a profit from any of this. We have to know that, since Christianity is not a religion, but about having a personal relationship with the Lord, His salvation and healing and guidance is His free gift to everyone who believes. And as in any relationships, we are to strive in obedient faithfulness, as the Lord is faithful and will never forsake us!
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