40 Days of Prayer

True Success

  
"Naaman,commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper." 2 Kings 5:1 ESV

"So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and 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, and you shall be clean." But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, "Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and 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." 2 Kings 5:9-12 ESV

"Naaman's entire worldview was being challenged. He had just learned that this God is not an extension of culture, but a transformer of culture, not a controllable but sovereign Lord. Now he was being confronted with a God who in his dealings with human beings only operates on the basis of grace. These two go together. No one can control the true God because no one can earn, merit, or achieve their own blessing and salvation." Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods

Success or failure. What does the future hold and how do we view our role in it? Naaman was a "great man," a very successful man in battle yet he suffered with leprosy. Leprosy was not only a physically debilitating disease, it was a socially isolating one. For all his success, his disease made him the envy of no one. Matthew Henry says it like this - Naaman was as great as the world could make him, yet the lowest slave would not have traded places with him. What an ironic situation. Do we consider ourselves successful without the envy of our peers? Success then is measured not only in the achievement of goals but also by the amount of regard we receive from others.

Now a slave has told Naaman of a way to overcome this personal struggle. As a successful man he set about achieving one more victory - conquering his leprosy. He gathered all of resources and set out to win. When he arrives at Elisha's, the prophet does not come out to meet him or receive his gifts but instead gives him a simple instruction to wash in the river. Naaman's anger reveals his heart - What a waste of time! I wanted something a little more sophisticated and powerful, worthy of the man I am. But here was an opportunity to be wowed by God, the great God, not Naaman, the great man or even Elisha the great prophet. Naaman is challenged by the same slave to take the prophet at his word. Naaman surrenders and is healed. God as Keller says is not an extension of culture content to work within the means of men. He is a transformer of culture desiring to reveal his all surpassing power through our jars of clay (2 Cor. 4:7).

From the beginning of Grace Redeemer we have prayed that it would be known that through God alone this church was planted. May we be servants of that work like Naaman. Available servants that God works through to transform culture. May our success be found in honoring and glorifying Him through both the great and small tasks of that work.