Christian Living

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The Lord Of Leper And Loner

2Kings 5:1a He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord has given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier ….

The market place was buzzing with news about the successful raid carried out by the army against Israel’s north eastern region. At coffee houses people were keenly watching the TV evening news that praised the strategic warfare tactics of their army commander-in-chief. He was rightly held in high esteem by the King and his reputation had caused them to name a boulevard after him, called Naaman Boulevard. As Naaman’s entourage pulled towards that familiar bend near his home, he had other things to worry about …

2Kings 5:1b …. but he had leprosy

Naaman summoned the chief of his medical staff. He could no longer hide it beneath his costume. Amid the flashing cameras he stepped out of his car and hurriedly walked into this house ignoring the press. Late that night the team of doctors said they were helpless. No medication helped and the prospect of withdrawing from public service and spending the rest of his life in a quarantined camp horrified him. He had to meet the King before making any public statements. His wife bowed her head in tears. It was a hopeless condition; the much decorated commander in chief seemed lost in his thoughts. He asked his staff to excuse him and his wife. She begged him to reconsider what her Jewish domestic servant girl had told her earlier.

2Kings 5:3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He could cure him of his leprosy.”

Her domestic servant girl has her own heartache to content; she was a captive, pulled out of her home and planted into this pagan home. She longed to get to her homeland for it was no ordinary land; it was the land that the Living God promised her forefathers and the land that awaited the coming Messiah. But her dreams were shattered when she was taken captive by Naaman’s army. Her condition was no better than that of her master. She was already living a quarantined life in this pagan home. But it was in this context that she finally saw the invisible hand of God that orchestrated her entry into this home that she might show the way to healing and life to her master.

Naaman agreed to the proposal and set out the next day to meet the prophet. As he stepped into the land of Israel he was no longer the valiant soldier but a vexed soul seeking healing. After several days he returned back home completely cured of leprosy. Naaman’s wife was there to welcome him, along with the young Jewish servant girl. Naaman came back healed on the outside and also healed on the inside. The cup was now washed clean outside and inside.

It took two unfortunate hopeless situations to be brought face to face with each other that opened the gate for healing and life. A hopeless situation left to itself cannot be turned around except when the invisible hand of God brings another hopeless situation to cross its path. Then with God’s grace the situation is turned around to be a blessing.

Prayer: Lord, cause me not to give way to fear in my hopeless situation; for I know that God will soon bring along another soul in another hopeless situation to cross my path, and usher in healing and life. Till then cause my heart to wait with eagerness for your hand that makes beauty out of ashes. In Jesus’ name, Amen

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