Just wash... & be cleansed!

I'm participating in a weekly lectionary reading with Center for Transforming Mission. Today I read from 2 Kings 5:1-14.  I like to journal after reading, to help me process and reflect on the passage. Here are some of my thoughts.  I'll leave the application part up to you :)


Summary of the story  (And my thoughts in italics):
1- Naaman, commander of the army of Aram, is a great warrior. He is respected and powerful. But he has a skin condition. Perhaps he was driven to be successful because of his disease, or perhaps he contracted the disease later in life. Either way, he has a problem he can't fix on his own, it seems there is no hope for a cure.


2- A servant girl from Israel mentions the prophet of Samaria, Elisha. She is confident that he could heal Naaman. In his desperate circumstances, Naaman asks the king to let him go to Israel.  The king sends him to Israel, with chariots and soldiers and lots of riches, to seek out a cure.  The girl could have had mixed motives in telling Naaman about a cure. Perhaps she sought her own freedom, or a way back home in order to escape captivity... Either way, her conviction stood out to Naaman and he pursued the idea. She presented a hope to Naaman.


3- Naaman presents the king of Israel with a letter from the king, stating his expectation that Naaman will be healed. The king of Israel sees no hope in the situation and thinks that Aram is picking a fight. He tears his clothes and mourns the inevitable war and surrender in Israel's future because of his inability to heal Naaman. The king is concerned for the future of his nation. However he does not turn to the Lord, or the Lord's messenger, in order to seek a solution. He immediately responds with despair, instead of seeing hope and having faith in the Lord's plan.


4- Elisha, prophet of Israel, hears of the king's reaction and tells him to send Naaman to Samaria.  Elisha, unlike the king, is optimistic. He knows the Lord's power and does not despair in the face of difficulty. He presents a hope to the king


5- Naaman arrives at Elisha's home with a flourish of soldiers & chariots. A servant comes out to meet him, and gives him a message from Elisha: bathe in the Jordan 7 times, wash & be cleansed. Naaman's elegance is contrasted with Elisha's simplicity. He is not fooled by elegance, and does not go out to meet Naaman face to face. He's not concerned about winning anyone's favor, but with what God has revealed to him: the cure.


6- Naaman is offended, first by the lack of welcome he receives from Elisha, and the lack of complexity of his cure. He would much prefer to bathe in Abana or Pharpar, the rivers of his country, in order to be healed. He leaves in a rage.  Naaman takes a hit here, on his pride. All this work for such a simple cure? No homage paid by the prophet? Does he not fear a great warrior? Can the prophet really presume that the filthy Jordan of his country has healing powers? The rivers of his country are much cleaner. Because of pride, Naaman responds in anger.


7- A servant of Naaman's comments to him: If your cure had been a difficult task, wouldn't you have completed it? Then how come you don't accept an easy cure? Once again, like the servant girl and Elisha, Naaman's servant sees hope in the situation. He points out the logic of obeying the servant's words to 'wash & be cleansed'.  It is interesting that God uses a servant here to guide Naaman to humility and obedience. Just like leprosy, Naaman's pride and renown is a condition he could not cure on his own, but only with the intervention of a humble servant.


8- Naaman goes down to the river and washes 7 times in the Jordan. He comes out looking like a 'young boy', his skin condition healed. Here we see the fulfillment of the hope, Naaman's renewal.  This reminds me of the renewal that we also can experience, if only we see hope, obey, and wash... and we will be cleansed. Only we receive not an outward renewal but an inward transformation into 'young children' - a rebirthing experience.


9- Another interesting detail... Elisha lives in Samaria, and sends Naaman to wash in the water. Jesus, when he visits Samaria, shares with a woman the good news of 'living water' - not bound to the Jordan or any river, for that matter. Yet renewal is still exclusive, only to be found by drinking (or bathing) in the living water that is Jesus Christ.


Well, these are just some thoughts during my devotional time, I wanted to share them and maybe interact a bit regarding this passage. After reading the passage yourself, please comment with your thoughts or insights!