Naaman was past upset; past mad; past even furious - he was working on a complete emotional meltdown. Like a cartoon character - the steam seems to literally be pouring out of his ears. He stomps - he stammers - he shouts: "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!" He had come all this way for a little bit of hocus pocus and all he has is a prophet’s prescription that says "Dip seven times in the Jordan and call me in the morning." "I have had it! I want to kill somebody!" The children scatter, the servants duck, the soldiers shudder. This is not good. To put it simply - things were not going as Naaman had expected. And he is none too happy about it.
But then again things had been downhill ever since he discovered that white blemish on his shoulder. At first he thought it was dry skin - the result of too many battles under the hot Syrian sun. But it didn’t go away when rubbed with lotion. And soon the diagnosis could not be avoided. He had leprosy! The most disfiguring, most debilitating of all skin diseases. He was doomed to slowly wither away - one piece of flesh at a time. At first he raged to his god Rimmon. It wasn’t fair. He was one of Syria’s greatest generals. A brave and valiant warrior. Personal favorite of the king himself. How could such an asset to Aram be dealt such a blow. Naaman began to make daily sacrifices to the gods pleading for their favor. But the gods mocked him with their stony stares. He soon lost his religion. And sank into a deep depression. The only comfort he found was in leading raiding parties against the Syrians age-old enemy - Israel. On one such raid he returned with a young girl of Israel whom he gave to his wife as a servant. But here was one slave who had a lesson to teach to the master!
Her name is not given. But the strength of her faith is found in her words to her mistress. "There is in Samaria, a prophet of God who could heal my master..." In spite of her captivity, she has grown to love Naaman and his wife. And that love has given her the boldness to speak of her God to one who has no love for the Lord. Perhaps, he is reduced to clutching at straws or the sincerity of the little girl’s faith strikes a chord - deep within - but Naaman leaps upon this hope. Dashing to his king, he craves a boon to visit the land of Israel and seek a cure for his dread condition. "Go" is the command of the king.
It is with renewed hope and great expectations, that Naaman and his band set out for the capital city of Jerusalem. Bearing a letter from the king of Aram to the King of Israel - Naaman is sure he will find his expected cure. Ushered into the throneroom - he presents the royal letter and steps back to wait the reply. His reception, however, is not quite what he expects. The king of Israel goes nuts. "Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? What can I do about this man’s leprosy? Is your king picking a fight or what?" Naaman is taken aback. Surely if anyone in this backward country can arrange his healing it would be the king. The fuse has been lit.
Fortunately, Elisha, the man of God, hears about the palace incident and sends word to the king to send Naaman his way. He will show this "Stormin’ Norman" that there is a prophet in Israel - who doesn’t by the way, work at the beck and call of the king. So off Naaman goes, back up the road from Jerusalem to Samaria. And as he goes along he begins to notice a definite downward turn in the class of neighborhoods he is passing through. Its beginning to look a bit like a ghetto. He smiles to himself. Surely this man of God will be impressed by the wealth I bring with me. I bet he cannot wait to get his hands on some real Syrian gold. At least enough to get out of this dumpy town.
Soon they pull up to the door of Elisha modest home. Now we’ll see some action, Naaman tells his men. Somebody go ring the doorbell. The bell rung, they sit and wait. And wait. And wait. The sun beats down, the dry wind blows, the hackles start to rise on Naaman’s neck. Finally the door opens and a weaselly little fellow peeks out the crack and says - "Here. The prophet sends his regards. Wash seven times in the Jordan and you will be clean." Which brings us back to where we began. Naaman’s nuclear meltdown. Beware the man who finds his expectations unmet. It can get very dangerous...
Yet into this danger-zone step some very brave men. Naaman’s servants cautiously approach the manic military man. "My Father..." One has to admire that approach. "...if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, Wash and be cleansed!" Having had their say, they retreat to watch the outcome. And wonder of wonders, beyond their expectations - the ticking stops. The countenance softens. The great Naaman is humbled. "Let us go to the Jordan!" And we know how it turns out. Once, twice, three times - nothing. Four, five, six - the skin remains unchanged. But on the seventh dip...the miracle happens...on God’s terms.
What do you expect of God? We can be honest with each other. In spite of our pious murmuring - don’t we expect God to act according to our rules - our designs. For most of us, the best we can hope for is that God will rubber stamp our plans and get on board with our wishes. We expect God to act in a certain way - to respond to our demands. I mean don’t we put x-amount of dollars in the offering plate. We put in our time on our knees. We do our bit to help around the church. We are respectable people. We expect to be accorded a certain amount of respect in return. We expect God to be there when we call. We want to meet him on our terms and at the time of our choosing. When we are sick. When we hurt. When we are worried. Anxious, Afraid. Angry. When we are distressed - we like Naaman appear at the door of God’s house and demand an audience. We want God to drop everything and come to us wave his magic wand and make everything all right. Let’s face it. We have high expectations of our God. He had better get with the program. I mean, really, he is there to serve us - to met our needs, to fix our hurts, to mend our lives...right? And if he doesn’t don’t we have every right to get mad? To let off some steam? To rant and rave a little bit like Naaman? Maybe, we better soak our heads a few times in the cold waters of the Jordan. It might clear our thinking a bit.
The real question raised by the story of Naaman the leper is not what can we expect of God - but what does God expect of us? When we can answer that question - we are ready for our miracle. Then and only then are we in a position to receive what God has to offer. Right off the bat, we can tell what God is not looking for. He is not looking for self-righteous pride or swaggering self-confidence. Naaman was free to strut his stuff upon the world stage - but he would strut stricken by sickness. God is no respecter of persons. Rank and status mean nothing to him. You may be a Sunday School teacher, a RCWM leader, a deacon, an elder, even a minister - and that still gives you no right to demand anything of God. Only the humble dare approach the throne of the living God.
Also, God is not looking for your money. Naaman learned that all the golden and silver talents in the world could not purchase one moment of health. We can’t buy God’s favor either. Sure big givers may sway the masses - having your name on a pew or window may raise your stock in the eyes of others - and sadly there are servant like Gehazi who will try to cash in - but the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the whole universe to boot - doesn’t need your two bits. He cannot be bribed. We are to give in gratitude - not because we expect God to pay back in kind.
Finally, God is not looking for followers who are solely impressed with magic tricks. God doesn’t not perform for the crowd - just to get a little applause. The Red Sea doesn’t part just so we can get a golf ball out of the drink. The mountain doesn’t smoke so we can roast marshmallows. Miracles are meant for a purpose. Miracles are given when and how God decides. If Moses couldn’t force God’s hand - can we? He is looking for worshippers - not a studio audience.
Well, what does God expect of us? The answer to that is really quite simple. What did he want of Naaman? He wanted him to listen and obey. He wants no less or no more from us. He wants us to obey him. To obey him not only in the big things - but in the small things as well. Especially in the little things. It is the day to day obedience that wins the attention of God. It is not the superstar saints that are near to the heart of God. It is the widow on her knees nightly in pray. It is the mother who sacrifices so that her children might have a good home. It is the man who works 40 hours day in and day out so that his family might have it a little bit better. It is the person who works behind the scenes. Who cleans the office building when the day is done. Who bakes the pies. It is the one who determines to love God with all their heart, soul and strength and their neighbor as themselves. Who does the simple things simply because that is what God expects his children to do. This is the person not afraid to dip seven times or seventy times seven times in the waters of the Jordan - knowing that this is the only way that God cures the spiritual leprosies that cling closer than our skin.
It takes a person of uncommon faith to see the unexpected in the face of the conventional. To look beyond the ways of this world to view the heart of heaven. It takes someone like Naaman willing to strip himself bare before God and enter the chilly waters of the Jordan and come up the seventh time clean. Do you want to see God at work today? Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord. Wade in the waters. And be clean. Amen.
