"Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”2nd Kings
Naaman, wasn't any ordinary person. He was a commander with power and influence. He was favored and respected by his King who would have been his superior. Naaman, through his leadership skills, knowledge and self-assuredness had special connections. His problem was that he had leprosy, a fatal disease. But through his astuteness and connections, he sought to find a solution to his problem which indirectly lead him to the Israelite prophet Elisha.
As he arrived at Elisha's door with his chariots and escorts, in festive robes, and with gold and shekels, he assumed his accustomed self-righteous position of being there as the one in control. He was accustomed to relying on his own skills, personality and influence. He came to Elisha with his own preconceived ideas of what would be necessary for a cure of his disease.
Naaman came to be healed of his leprosy, but the leprosy was the least of his problems. His biggest problem was that he lacked faith and trust in God. Faith and trust would require Naaman to let go of any pre-conceived ideas that he might have in respect to his own limited human understanding of things, and to trust that God in his infinite mercy knows what is best for each situation in his life.
Ultimately, life brings each of us to this choice. We either accept that trust in God, or we reject it. For many of us, the choice is not made until we run out of human options. "Lord, I have no where else to turn. I place this into your hands. May it be done in accordance to your will."
Most of us know when we reach this point of human brokenness, when we reach the end of our rope with no where else to turn. Then we give God the opportunity to work in a powerful way. I don't know why it is like this. I only know that it is. And for many, including myself, true freedom is not reached until we've come to the end of all human options, and we are left standing naked before the cross of Christ asking for His mercy and help.
Often times, like Naaman, we first get angry. Why can't it be done my way? But if its done my way, then its not faith. It's only my way.
God dwells intimately within each of us. God wants to bring each of us to the fullness of life. Until we get out of our own way, it's as if God has the inability to act. But when we do get out of the way, then we experience His presence, His mercy, His love, and His healing in ways we would never believe possible.
Naaman's subsequent healing of leprosy is really anti-climatic to the teaching in this story. A heart set free by faith is the real miracle. This is what Jesus was trying to convey to the people in the Gospels. This is what He desires to convey to us.
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