Healing, wrapped in an unusual package

2 Kings 5:1 NKJV — Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.

Naaman was important and well known in his own country as well as other countries.

But, as a leper, he was under a greatly feared and incurable disease.

Yet, God chose to heal him and delivered hope of the healing by a child.

It was healing wrapped in the most surprising way.

2 Kings 5:2 NKJV — And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife.

Such a tiny slice of life, but it speaks loudly of pain and loss.

A group of Syrians had gone out to pillage and steal, and with their booty had kidnapped a girl from her home.

But the incredible thing is, this girl doesn’t seem bitter, instead she demonstrates honest concern for Naaman.

2 Kings 5:3 NKJV — Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”

God had healing waiting for Naaman and He sent a girl from Israel to tell him.

Elisha was God’s prophet and God used him mightily, but it’s the faith of a child we see here, not the relating of facts.

The Bible doesn’t record a previous healing for leprosy through Elisha.

The verses from 2 Kings 5:4-7 tell how Naaman went to the king of Syria and requested permission to travel to Samaria to find this prophet. The king agrees and sends him with a letter to the king of Israel. The king of Israel is beside himself, because of the letter.

2 Kings 5:8 NKJV — So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

2 Kings 5:9 NKJV — Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house.

2 Kings 5:10 NKJV — And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”

2 Kings 5:11 NKJV — But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’

The message of healing was acceptable, although being delivered by a slave girl, but the wrapper it was contained in required humility.

At first, Naaman refused.

Healing, in his mind, was supposed to come packaged in a particular way, but his expectations were destroyed.

But for the wisdom of well spoken timely words, this history might have been very different.

2 Kings 5:13 NKJV — And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

Naaman’s pride had caused him to nearly choose leprosy over healing, but wisdom turned his heart and he obeyed.

2 Kings 5:14 NKJV — So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

2 Kings 5:15 NKJV — And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”

Elisha refused to take any credit or any payment for God’s gift of healing.

2 Kings 5:17 NKJV — So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD.

Naaman left healed, and not just from leprosy, but from a much more dangerous affliction.

He was healed of pride and idolatry.

Naaman’s story is one of hope and forgiveness.

God’s ways are not our ways and we often, like Naaman feel confused or even offended by God’s Word or His path for our lives, but if we will humble ourselves and choose to follow His ways, we too will find healing.

Healing of the soul, which lasts beyond this life and on into eternity.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank you for the story of Naaman. Thank you for the slave girl You chose to use to speak hope into Naaman’s life and to give him the encouragement to seek You, although he didn’t know that’s what he was doing. Lord help us to love one another as this slave girl loved Naaman. Lord Jesus, help us to be humble and choose to follow what You instruct us to do no matter how simple or unexpected it might seem to us. Lord, help us to remain followers of You and not lovers of pleasure, prideful, arrogantly self-centered for those things only lead to death. Thank You for who You are Jesus, and the healing gift You gave us in Salvation. I praise Your holy name! Amen.