WASH ♡ IN ♡ THE ♡ JORDAN ♡♡♡

"Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha's house. 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 His 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 rage. " - 2 Kings 5:9-12

It's how Naaman is standing at the door of Elisha's house for me. He is standing there with his horses and chariot hoping to be "grandly received" by Elisha, so that he can be healed of his leprosy. But Elisha the prophet, sends out a messenger to Naaman instead. "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times & your flesh shall be restored to you and you shall be clean" - Ouch, Naaman was not having it -"the nerve of this prophet, you mean he can't even come out to me. Sending me messengers, sigh" . Naaman puts aside the very reason he his there in the first place, and get's wrapped up in his pride. Tis really the weakness of the "strong". ----->  "Indeed, I said to myself  'He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of His Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy" - 2 Kings 5:11b. Can you hear Naaman? If he knows all of this so well, why didn't he heal himself all this time? He had come down to the prophet hoping it would be one way or should I say, hoping to be his own way, but it was another way - Scripture says that Naaman was angry and goes away in rage. In that moment, Naaman thought too highly of himself, but thank God for godly counsel in his servants, he humbled out eventually to do the needful and he became clean.

     "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel...." - 2 Kings 5:15b

You see, Naaman was a "star boy" as far as the subject matter of how well he was doing in life. His master the king of Syria thought the world of him, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. I mean, this man was a mighty man of valor we are told. But he had leprosy. And you bet it gave him so many sleepless nights. I say this because, if it didn't, Naaman wouldn't have made this a national problem lol. I mean, the King of Israel tears his clothes for goodness sake, upon receiving a letter from the king of Syria, requesting Namaan be healed. I found that amusing, and even prophet Elisha found it odd too - "Why have you torn your clothes? [good question lol] please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel" - 2 Kings 5:8b. I digress, but only to let you see how Naaman's healing became a national problem :). The point I am trying to make here is this; no matter how "strong" we may appear in certain areas of our lives, we must never stand before God with a posture of strength, especially where we need him. I heard this in a sermon this week "Prayer is not for the strong, it is for the weak" and I let that sink in. It is very true. A lot of people avoid praying when they are in sin. They only ever want to be amongst believers when everything is fine. They avoid going to fellowship etc when they feel off, but that is the time you should actually go.

We live in a world where the great things people say about us, the good things we are known for, or the possessions we have [i.e area of strength] can cause us like Namaan to lack the self awareness to realize, that we are a people who actually desperately need God and not the other way round. We can get so hung up with our way and miss his own way. We can get angry like Naaman because our healing did not come in the way we imagined it would be, or in the way we have seen it done before. Naaman's story is also a lesson in humility for all of us. There is no better person who led by this great example of humility; when he lived on earth, died for our sins and rose again for us to have life - Yes, Jesus! Jesus though he was "Star boy" made himself "nothing" for our sakes.

"Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges, he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" - Philippians 2:6-11

 

"Trust confidently in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him. God is a refuge for us. Selah. Men of low degree are only a breath (emptiness), and men of [high] rank are a lie (delusion). In the balances they go up [because they have no measurable weight or value]; They are together lighter than a breath. Do not trust in oppression, and do not vainly hope in robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this; That power belongs to God" - Psalm 62:8-11

Dedicating the post > also in remembrance of my dear friend and sister Providence Ebi Napoleon, who by Tuesday 19th April would be a year since she left us. She had so much going for her in life in the middle of her health struggle: even yet still, she knew how to sit with the ordinary. She knew how to flash the brightness of her soul through her great smile. I would say for sure, that one endearing attribute of hers was also humility. We miss her everyday. May God continue to keep in peace those she left behind. Amen.

Love

Shay!