The summary of Naaman’s story is that he was a great commander of the army of the king of Aram. The Bible says the Lord had given him victories as a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
One of the Israelite captives was a young girl who served Naaman’s wife. Apparently she had a good relationship and was respectful to her master and encouraged him to go to Israel to see a prophet of God, who also was known for his healing miracles.
The king of Aram wrote a letter of affirmation with money and clothing to give as a gift to the king of Israel asking for his general be healed. The king of Israel tore his robes thinking he could not do the impossible and was afraid of an invasion. When Elisha the man of God heard about this, he asked Naaman be sent to his house. So Naaman went with his horses and chariots, but instead of coming out to greet him, Elisha sent his messenger instead to tell him to wash seven times in the Jordan river.
Naaman went away angry and humiliated, expecting a magician like ritual to heal him. His servant had to persuade him he had nothing to lose, so he did as was told.
2 Kings 5:14,15 “So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”
Like so many others in the Bible, Naaman recognized that God was the giver of good health and healing. It was through this most unusual experience that he also found the Lord Jehovah to be the one true God. His healing was only possible through humility. For him it meant coming to a foreign land. Elisha did not make house calls. It meant to acknowledge a foreign king, going to a foreign prophet, and then not even getting a chance to see him, but rather the assistant manager and slave came out to tell him what to do.
Elisha didn’t accept the gifts. He wasn’t in it for the money. He was not to be paid for services that the Lord did, but in the response of thanksgiving for Naaman it was important for him to give, and to acknowledge the benefactor of his good fortune.
There are two sad things I think about this story..The rest of the story was how Gahazi, Elisha’s servant, returned to the general and said the prophet changed his mind. Naaman was happy to give what he asked, but since it was a lie, Gahazi was infected with leprosy. Instead of feeling thankful for the miracle, he was focused on what he could get, not give.
Secondly, we read vs 18 "But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.” Naaman knows from whom his healing came. He now knows the Lord. But when he returned home, his job required him to bow down to a false god. How often do we compromise our faith for what others expect of us, or think about us?
Application: This Thanksgiving think about something God did in your life for which you are thankful. When have you been healed? When has a prayer of yours been answered? Naaman worshipped the Lord. He wanted to give generous offering, not to pay for services, but out of gratitude. Offerings and thanksgiving gifts are common in the Bible.
Prayer: Lord. Open doors and show me where there is some gift you would give above and beyond this year from a grateful heart.
