Thoughts lead to ways...

The picture above is to depict the account found in 2 Kings 5:1-14, the healing of Naaman.

Naaman is the commander of the army of the King of Aram.  He was an important man and highly regarded as a successful leader in his position.  He was a valiant warrior but there was a problem.  He had a skin disease probably something like leprosy or Hansen's disease.

Enter into the picture a young Israelite girl taken into slavery on one of their raids as part of the plunder and to serve Naaman's wife.  This young Israelite girl of no real importance has compassion on her very important master and speaks to his wife about a possible answer to his problem.  She said, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his skin disease."  This young Israelite girl was talking about the prophet Elisha.

Naaman had some hope from the message of this little girl and took her message to the King of Aram.  The King of Aram had some hope and provided a way for Naaman, his commander of the army, to have safe passage and a letter in recommendation to Naaman's worthiness to receive this healing.  All this movement was because of a little Israelite slave girl speaking of her God through the faithful prophet named Elisha.

 The letter went to the King of Israel and his reaction was to think the very worse.  If this very important man is not healed then the King of Aram will wage war on them.  The King of Israel throws up his arms in despair but the message gets to the Prophet Elisha and his reaction is very different.

The Prophet Elisha said to the King of Israel, "Why have you torn your clothes?  Have him come to me and he will know there is a prophet in Israel."  Such confidence coming from the man of God and Naaman was sent with all of his horses and chariots and gifts of silver, gold, and clothing to the door of Elisha.

Naaman, the very important man, must have thought that the great prophet Elisha would come to the door and make a great scene and perform this healing in front of the whole delegation.  Maybe there would be a bowing to Naaman or accolades about how great he was and how if anyone deserved this cure, it would be he.  But this didn't happen.

Elisha didn't go to the door, he sent his messenger.  He gave a simple response to this very important man that was a response that required his obedience.  "Go wash seven times in the Jordan and your skin will be restored and you will be clean."

Naaman's response?  He was angry.  He stormed away.  He had words.  He gave his thoughts and he gave his ways on how this should all happen.  Isaiah 55:8 says,

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways."  This is the LORD's declaration.

Elisha was giving God's thoughts and they are different than Naaman's thoughts.  Elisha was giving God's ways and they are different that Naaman's ways.  What will Naaman do?  In steps another servant to speak what should be done.  We had the young Israelite slave girl.  We had the messenger of Elisha to the door.  We have a servant of Naaman who brings a couple of questions to his master.

"My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it?  How much more should you do it when he only tells you, 'Wash and be clean'?"

In response to the servant's questions, Naaman changes his thoughts and his ways to be in obedience to the instruction given by God and makes his way to the Jordan river.  The miracle and promise happened because he became obedient to what God said through the prophet Elisha.  His skin became like the skin of a small boy.

As in the Isaiah passage, thoughts lead to ways.  When our thoughts are not in line with God's thoughts then our ways are not going to be in line with God's ways.  If we find ourselves in this position the answer is very simple.  What is needed is simple child-like obedience.  What is not needed is some grand expression of who you are but rather a bowing low and reaching up in obedience to the One who has always better thoughts and better ways.  

Sometimes a church will drift into accepting the world's thoughts and ways.  When this happens, God's thoughts and ways, the Bible, is lessened in its importance and adherence to it in obedience.  A church adopts what is lesser and what is needed is simple obedience.  Will you walk in that obedience?

Adam