But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.”
2 Kings 5:11 (NIV)

Last week I had the opportunity to speak at my alma mater, Judson University. Amidst my message, I shared with the students that I thought God wanted me to spend my life in vocational, pastoral ministry. Instead, something I least expected happened. God led me to a career in business.

That led to something else I didn’t expect. My story resonated deeply with college students grappling with what they are going to do with their careers and seeking God’s will for their own respective journeys. I had a number of conversations afterwards with students who wanted to talk to me about it.

Today’s chapter tells an interesting episode about a foreign military commander who has leprosy. The narrative is almost Shakespearean in the telling. A “great man” has everything but the one thing he desperately needs. Lowly servants with nothing perceive and understand things to which their rich and powerful masters are completely blind — except for the one servant of the prophet Elisha who should see spiritual truth more clearly than anyone. Everything in the normal social order is turned upside down.

As God says through the prophet Isaiah, “My ways are not your ways.”

Namaan is the name of the leprous Aramean commander who comes to Elisha on a chariot with a procession of servants. He brings riches and gifts to exchange for his healing. Elisha doesn’t even meet him face to face, but simply sends word for Namaan to dip himself into the Jordan River seven times.

This sets Namaan off. “I thought he would at least come out to see me!”

“I thought…”

I’ve observed along my journey that it’s quite common for people to carry around little scripts for God. I know I did.

I thought God wanted me to be a pastor.
I thought God would answer this prayer differently.
I thought marriage would work this way.
I thought my kids would…
I thought by this age I would…
I thought God would open that door.
I thought healing would come.
I thought He would surely come out, wave His hand over the place, and fix it.

And sometimes my disappointment with God isn’t actually because God has abandoned me. It’s because God didn’t follow the script I wrote for Him.

Naaman nearly walks away from his miracle because it doesn’t look sufficiently miraculous. There’s no thunder, no prophet, no ceremony, no impressive river.
Just muddy water and an embarrassingly simple command: “Go wash.” And the great Naaman has to decide whether he’d rather keep his expectations or receive his healing

But there’s another layer I love even more. Naaman’s entire life has trained him to believe that important things happen through important people. He’s a commander. So he goes to his king. His king writes to Israel’s king. He brings a fortune. He arrives with horses and chariots. And yet virtually everything that matters in the chapter happens through people society barely notices.

A kidnapped girl whispers something to Naaman’s wife. A prophet sends an unnamed messenger. Some servants talk their furious master off the ledge.
God keeps bypassing the impressive people. Nothing is accomplished by the kings, the money, the horses, the chariots, or Namaan’s reputation.

The unnamed people move the story forward. Which makes this chapter bookend beautifully next to the previous chapter. “You’ve got to use what you’ve got!” In the previous chapter, God worked through oil, jars, bread, a room, a staff – ordinary household items already at hand.

In today’s chapter, God works through ordinary people whom powerful people might overlook.I see a thread emerging in these early Elisha stories. God doesn’t seem nearly as impressed with impressive things as we are.

Naaman had to become small enough to receive something he was too important to buy. He came carrying wealth and he left carrying dirt. He arrived surrounded by horses and chariots, and left knowing the name of God. He arrived as “a great man in the sight of his master.” Then he went down into the water and came back up like a little child.

And, in the quiet this morning, that’s the image at the center of today’s chapter. Grace is received down low. An unnamed servant girl understood the Kingdom better than the commander, why Naaman found God in a muddy river rather than a royal court, and why Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, standing right beside the prophet—managed to miss the whole thing.

Lord, reveal what You have for me today, because what “I thought” always seems to miss the mark. I guess my thoughts aren’t your thoughts after all.

I need to bring what I’ve got. I also have to bring what I haven’t got. Because throughout this remarkable chapter, God appears entirely untroubled by empty things.

He seems rather fond of filling them.

Please share this post with someone!
If you got something good from it, please “Like” it.
Comments are welcome.

RETURN TO THE MAIN WAYFARER BLOG PAGE

Enter Your Email Address Below, Click “Subscribe,” and Get Every Chapter-a-Day Post Delivered Right to Your Inbox!

Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts.