A Changed Heart

Please allow this sweet melody to minister to your heart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6fheuBf0Pk

Do you remember the story of Naaman and how the Lord healded him from his leprosy in the book of 2 Kings 5:1-19? The story ministered to me in the way of “watching as God calls forth those that are hurting”.

I will do my best to walk you through my mind’s understanding of this exciting story. I pray that you enjoy this read.

Naaman means “pleasantness”

NAAMAN

A successful Syrian general, high in the confidence and esteem of the king of Syria, and honored by his fellow-countrymen as their deliverer, who was afflicted with leprosy. Upon hearing from a Hebrew slave-maid in his household of the wonder-working powers of an Israelite prophet (Elisha), he set off to find this prophet.

He at first haughtily resented the humiliation and declined the cure, but had a change of heart as his servants pleaded with him to go out and see about this healing. Let’s read together his story.

Note: There is one reference to Naaman in the New Testament. In Luke 4:27, Jesus rebuking Jewish exclusiveness, mentions "Naaman the Syrian."

2 Kings 5:1-19  Naaman’s Leprosy Healed

Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.”

Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”

We see how much the King is grateful to Naaman for his service and how much he admires this man. Rightfully so, for Naaman is a man of war, commander of the King’s army, a powerful and loyal man. So how will God be able to reach such a heart? We can see the workings of God in the background, as God has already used the little Jewish slave girl to get the word to Naaman about the God of Israel and the Prophet Elisha. As you continue to read, take a closer look at the various things that God uses to get His Will accomplished.  Let’s continue.

So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said,

Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.

And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.”

So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

Although this story is centered on Naaman, God and Elisha, I find it interesting here, how God gives us the picture of the condition of the heart of the King of Israel (fearful and suspicious).  This can be you & me, when at times we forget that the Living God is at all times by our side!

Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?”

So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “Master, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?

Oh, what a specific picture of a heart before it has been touched by the Hand of the Master. A heart filled with;

Pride    Anger     Self-righteous     Our own stinking thinking    Foolish Attitudes,

the flesh (with its feelings hurt)    and of course,   Without understanding of who God really is, because the eyes of our heart has not yet be opened.

It is his servants, who reasoned with Naaman to take the word from this prophet even though, Elisha did not come out to meet him personally and perform all what Naaman believed should have taken place for his healing.

Was Naaman denied healing? “NO”. Was anything too hard for him to do for healing? “NO”

But look closer at what God was asking of Naaman and what do you see?

Simple instruction to “go, humble yourself, submit, obey and believe/trust Me”?

For Naaman at this point, it was decision time. Do I go back home the same way I came? Do I really think that it has to be a miracle, a performance for God to heal me from this leprosy? Why must I surrender to this God? Why must I bow down and dip myself in this dirty river?

The answer finally struck Naaman right where his issues begin – “his heart”.

You see, Naaman was in need of a God who can break his stubborn and prideful will so that God can conform it to His will.

God had to allow Naaman to see himself as the sin/sick person that he was, and not this strong and powerful man of war.

God also had to demonstrate to Naaman that his idea of worship and how to obey God was not correct. God is God, and all we do must be done per His instructions and His ways.

Naaman is at the Valley of Decision

So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”

But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.”

Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance.

What a picture of the wonderful and exciting “Born Again” experience!

You are now a new person, fashioned after the heart of God.

You are forgiven and healed from your separation from God.

You are physically and emotional healed.

You are spiritually in tune with God and have a new heart to follow Him.

Your hunger to know Your God will take you on a spiritual journey of hearing & learning His Word, meeting new like-minded people and above all else, you will be daily walking and talking with God.

And like Naaman, you will go forth in Peace, because you realize that there is no other god, like the True and Living God that he just encountered in that dirty Jordan River. And having to dip (7) times in it, was a small price to pay compared to the glorious experience he had in his meeting with God  

Even though, Naaman knew that he would still need to escort the King into the temple of his former god, Naaman asks Elisha to pray for him.

What a glorious transformation in Naaman’s heart and going forward, this transformation will touch the lives of those of his household and everyone whom he would meet. 

All because Naaman decided to follow God.