Shade Tree Wisdom 2/15/09

The Old Testament reading, and the sermon Text this morning was that story of Naaman, Syria’s army Commander who was a leper. The reading calls him “a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper”. He was sick, and there seemed to be no cure. Then a slave girl in the kitchen told her mistress, “If my master would only to be with the prophet in my home country, he would heal him”.

I believe it shows the desperation for healing that sent Naaman on this journey on the word of a slave girl. And it was impressive, outriders along, all the trappings of an important man, and carrying a gift of gold, silver, and clothes, five sets of new clothes, meant as a gift for the healing.
The king of Israel receives his visit with fear. “Can I heal? Am I a God,” he cries, and he tore his clothes, probably in despair, for he feared if he failed to heal this leper the Syrians would make short shrift of Israel.

Then Elisha heard of this matter and sent word to have Naaman come to him. So the parade lands at Elisha’s door, and, I always enjoyed this part, he sent a message to Naaman telling him to bathe seven times in the Jordan and he would be healed. Well, the man is insulted! “I thought he’d come out, perform some magic, maybe wave a wand over my head and chant some incantation. Bathe in the Jordan indeed. It’smuddy. My rivers at home are crystal clear.” And he starts to leave in a rage. But the servants point out this was “a great word the prophet has spoken”, and besides, “we’ve come all this way now, might as well, and see”.

So he did, was healed, and the word of the prophets proved true.

And the point is that the ordinary is all too often God’s way of dealing with us. Through Baptism, for instance, the ordinary water becomes “the water of life connected with His word of promise”. The Lord’s Supper, ordinary things become for us forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Jesus’ own countrymen saw him only as “that carpenter’s son whose family we know”. Why, He grew up around here, he did work in our home, a teacher? Isaiah had predicted this, “He was stricken and afflicted, and we esteemed him not”.

Jesus one time complained, “Why do you now believe me”. Jesus also teaches, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” John 6,29. The truth is that “Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than life, because their deeds were evil”. John 3,19. Instead, let us take the Word as Truth, and, like the disciples, admit “To whom shall we go, Thou hast the words of eternal life, for we believe that Thou art the Holy One of God.” John 6,68-69.
May the Lord bless such obedience to the ‘simple’ word God speaks.
GPD 2/25/09