Read 2 Kings 5:1-14

Tuesday

Read 2 Kings 5:1-14

5  Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, was highly respected and esteemed by the king of Syria, because through Naaman the Lord had given victory to the Syrian forces. He was a great soldier, but he suffered from a dreaded skin disease. ²In one of their raids against Israel, the Syrians had carried off a little Israelite girl, who became a servant of Naaman’s wife. ³One day she said to her mistress, “I wish that my master could go to the prophet who lives in Samaria! He would cure him of his disease.” ⁴When Naaman heard of this, he went to the king and told him what the girl had said. ⁵The king said, “Go to the king of Israel and take this letter to him.”

So Naaman set out, taking 30,000 pieces of silver, 6,000 pieces of gold, and ten changes of fine clothes. ⁶The letter that he took read: “This letter will introduce my officer Naaman. I want you to cure him of his disease.”

7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and exclaimed, “How can the king of Syria expect me to cure this man? Does he think that I am God,^j with the power of life and death? It’s plain that he is trying to start a quarrel with me!”

8 When the prophet Elisha heard what had happened, he sent word to the king: “Why are you so upset? Send the man to me, and I’ll show him that there is a prophet in Israel!”

9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and stopped at the entrance to Elisha’s house. ¹⁰Elisha sent a servant out to tell him to go and wash himself seven times in the River Jordan, and he would be completely cured of his disease. ¹¹But Naaman left in a rage, saying, “I thought that he would at least come out to me, pray to the Lord his God, wave his hand over the diseased spot,^k and cure me! ¹²Besides, aren’t the rivers Abana and Pharpar, back in Damascus, better than any river in Israel? I could have washed in them and been cured!”

13 His servants went up to him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it. Now why can’t you just wash yourself, as he said, and be cured?” ¹⁴So Naaman went down to the Jordan, dipped himself in it seven times, as Elisha had instructed, and he was completely cured. His flesh became firm and healthy, like that of a child.

Think

The healing of Namaan tells us about the simple way in which God heals people.  Namaan was ready to pay lots of money to the King of Israel; but Elisha advised him only to wash in a dirty stream.

Pray

Lord I often over complicate your grace and forget to receive your gift of healing and forgiveness.  Help me to be more simple in my understanding of your love.