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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. 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.' Are not the
Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, 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. 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'? 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 5:10-14.
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. -
Romans 6:23b.
What would you do to be healed of leprosy or some other terrible
disease? Climb the highest mountain? Crawl on your knees up a
thousand steps? Give fifty percent of your income for the rest
of your life? Become the slave for the rest of your life to the
doctor who has the wisdom to make you well?
Naaman was a great man in Syria as the commander of the armed
forces of the entire nation. He was a man of great courage.
Naaman was facing something he had never faced before. He was
facing an enemy more powerful and more dangerous than any he had
fought before. Naaman had leprosy and he knew very well the
horribleness of the disease. There was no way for Naaman to win
this battle. So, when he heard of the great prophet Elisha and
of his God he was willing to try it.
It was shocking to this great and mighty man that the prophet
Elisha did not come himself and only sent a messenger to tell
him how to be made well. Even more shocking and insulting was
that he was told to dip himself in the River Jordan seven times
and he would be well. Naamans response was predictable. He
threw a fit and refused to do it turning to go back to Syria.
His servants reasoned with him so that he could see that if
Elisha had asked him to fight one hundred men single handedly or
some other impossible thing he would have done it. Why not do
this simple thing of dipping in the river seven times? Naaman
obeyed and he was healed.
We are much like Naaman when it comes to our salvation. We feel
like we have to earn it in some way. Maybe if we were to climb a
huge mountain, feed the starving for years, give all we have to
the poor or some other wonderful and great thing then maybe,
just maybe we might be able to go to heaven when we die. What if
God told us in order to have eternal life we had to go dip in
the River Jordan seven times? Would we do it? Of course? God
has, however, told us something much more difficult for us to
accept in order for us to have eternal life. What is that? He
has told us that we do not have to do anything! He will give us
salvation for free we just have to accept/receive the gift.
What is this gift from God that we must receive? The gift is
Jesus Christ. Jesus has done all the work for us. He has paid
the ultimate price so that we might live forever with Him. Have
you received the gift? the gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23b). It is very simple, so
simple that even a child can understand - just follow the
instructions.
Copyright © 2004. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the
devotionals on a non-profit basis with source credited. On June
8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was
first sent.
Ed Wrather is available for revivals, conferences, and other
speaking and ministry opportunities as the Lord leads. More
information about Ed may be found at
http://www.theburningbush.org/28.html
Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and
you shall be clean. 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.' Are not the
Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, 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. 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'? 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 5:10-14.
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. -
Romans 6:23b.
What would you do to be healed of leprosy or some other terrible
disease? Climb the highest mountain? Crawl on your knees up a
thousand steps? Give fifty percent of your income for the rest
of your life? Become the slave for the rest of your life to the
doctor who has the wisdom to make you well?
Naaman was a great man in Syria as the commander of the armed
forces of the entire nation. He was a man of great courage.
Naaman was facing something he had never faced before. He was
facing an enemy more powerful and more dangerous than any he had
fought before. Naaman had leprosy and he knew very well the
horribleness of the disease. There was no way for Naaman to win
this battle. So, when he heard of the great prophet Elisha and
of his God he was willing to try it.
It was shocking to this great and mighty man that the prophet
Elisha did not come himself and only sent a messenger to tell
him how to be made well. Even more shocking and insulting was
that he was told to dip himself in the River Jordan seven times
and he would be well. Naamans response was predictable. He
threw a fit and refused to do it turning to go back to Syria.
His servants reasoned with him so that he could see that if
Elisha had asked him to fight one hundred men single handedly or
some other impossible thing he would have done it. Why not do
this simple thing of dipping in the river seven times? Naaman
obeyed and he was healed.
We are much like Naaman when it comes to our salvation. We feel
like we have to earn it in some way. Maybe if we were to climb a
huge mountain, feed the starving for years, give all we have to
the poor or some other wonderful and great thing then maybe,
just maybe we might be able to go to heaven when we die. What if
God told us in order to have eternal life we had to go dip in
the River Jordan seven times? Would we do it? Of course? God
has, however, told us something much more difficult for us to
accept in order for us to have eternal life. What is that? He
has told us that we do not have to do anything! He will give us
salvation for free we just have to accept/receive the gift.
What is this gift from God that we must receive? The gift is
Jesus Christ. Jesus has done all the work for us. He has paid
the ultimate price so that we might live forever with Him. Have
you received the gift? the gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23b). It is very simple, so
simple that even a child can understand - just follow the
instructions.
Copyright © 2004. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the
devotionals on a non-profit basis with source credited. On June
8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was
first sent.
Ed Wrather is available for revivals, conferences, and other
speaking and ministry opportunities as the Lord leads. More
information about Ed may be found at
http://www.theburningbush.org/28.html
