2 Kings 5:13–14: “And [Naaman’s] 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.”

July 30th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, was a leper. He came to Israel seeking healing, and the prophet Elisha told him to go and wash in the Jordan River. Naaman didn’t like that command. His servants took a risk speaking with him since he was “in a rage,” but it seems they loved and trusted him. The logic of their gentle question is beautiful and should be applied to each of our lives as well. They were saying, “If you had been asked to perform a great feat of courage or pay a great sum of money, would you not have done it? Surely you would have been willing to cross a rushing river or a perilous gorge, or even wrestle a bear or lion, empty handed. So if you would be willing to do something great, why not something simple?”

If God would just tell us to do some great thing in order to be cleansed from our sin, like build a hospital for the poor, feed 10,000 starving orphans, or walk 3000 miles, we would be more than willing. There is something within every human being that drives us to want to earn forgiveness, and that something is pride. We want to do it our way. Naaman had his own ideas of how his healing should be accomplished. If he was just going to be asked to wash in a river, why not the rivers of Syria instead of the old, muddy Jordan River? The better question would have been, “Why not simply do it God’s way?” Naaman’s servants logically presented the argument of nothing ventured nothing gained. Naaman wisely let their counsel prevail, and he came up out of the water healed.

Scripture is filled with many exciting things that God has done because someone dared to venture out in faith and trust God’s word. Even though sometimes it doesn’t make sense, why not give it a try? Who knows what God might want to do? Today may offer you a golden opportunity to become God’s instrument to change world events. Why not step out and try a venture in faith? We need to trust in the word of God and the promises of God this day. It is always exciting to make ourselves available to God for His purposes and become part of His answer for the world.

“LORD, please give us the courage to do and say whatever You ask of us, in Jesus’ name.”