Not in “That” Dirty River!”

Well, you asked for it… But, “how bad do you want it?”

The story begins in II Kings 5. “Now Na-a-man, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man of valour, BUT, HE WAS A LEPER.”

People loved him! They adored him! Little children threw roses in the streets in front of him, women danced in front of his chariot… but, “he was a leper.” There was no way out for Na-a-man. It is sad to have “everything” and yet, you have nothing. It is sad to be loved by all, and yet, you are the loneliest person in the world!

But the Syrians had brought back slaves and a little Israelite girl felt sorry for her master. She told her master that the man of God in Israel, Elisha, could cure him of his leprosy. So, now, the king of Syria is writing a letter to the king of Israel, and sending him a man, his captain, full of leprosy, and asking the king of Israel to heal him! They search out the prophet Elisha and Na-a-man expects Elisha to come out and “lay hands on him,” and heal him! And Elisha is thinking, “how bad does he want to be healed?” He sends word to Na-a-man to “dip seven times in the river Jordan!” The filthy river Jordan!

Na-a-man says, “Not in that dirty river!” Send me to a clean one… send me to the rivers in Damascus. Na-a-man is just like us. We want God to do something, but we want it on “our terms.” God is saying, “How bad do you want it? If you really want it, start dipping!” Na-a-man didn’t want to, but he got down in that dirty river, and on the seventh time, he came up clean!!

You may be praying about something, and the Lord says, “I will heal you or I will do this, if you will do this.” It will probably be something you “don’t want to do,” because your pride won’t let you! So, when you are asking the Lord for something, be sure to say, “Lord, which way to that dirty river?” Obedience is better than sacrifice!

Blessings, Sherry