Day 20: The $62 Million Solution
March 9
by Michael Lovett
Readings:
Reflection:
If you'd like to watch the devotional, read the scriptures first, then click HERE.
I love what we are going to reflect on today. It is all about faith, expectation, and humility. These are critical categories to which we need to return in Lent.
In 2 Kings, a very powerful military commander, Naaman, lived in modern-day Syria and asked his king if he can go south to Israel to find healing for his leprosy. Of course, the king sends him with his blessing. One THOUSAND pounds of blessing for whoever heals the worthy commander. $62 million worth of blessings and gratitude in the form of silver and gold, in today’s dollars. So Naaman arrives, and the king of Israel loses his mind... He'd love to take the money, but he has no earthly idea how to cure leprosy. The prophet Elisha enters the scene and essentially says, "Relax! God's got this covered, and I know what to do."
Naaman will finally be healed! But first, he has to do what Elisha, the man of God, says. Naaman is hot like fire. He is used to giving orders, not following them! He likely fumed, "What?!? I didn't pay for a $62M bath! Just do it the way I want!" Luckily, the servants who hauled the 1000 pounds of gold got Naaman's attention. They help him remember the reality of his situation.
Regarding his leprosy, he commands nothing. He must be a good soldier and follow orders, because 7 baths/dips in a foreign river is a small price to pay, right? He acquiesces to his servants' logic and is healed!
But the devotional today is only halfway done.
Jesus picks up the image of Naaman, the Syrian leader who simply obeys God, and uses it to expose his hometown as too prideful to obey God. He deliberately uses a foreigner, Naaman, as an example to follow in devotion to God. This was a terrible insult to the community ego. Jesus was saying, in effect, “If a powerful foreigner can do it, Nazareth, surely you all small-towners, can certainly do this. Focus on obedience first and continually. Push through the noise as Naaman did. Push through your 62 million good reasons not to, and do follow righteousness anyway.”
God won't help a prideful community that lies to itself about its righteousness. Rather, God loves to use those we look down on to expose our folly and directly confront us with our need for communal and personal repentance. This has implications under our roof, in all communities we are part of, and in our nation.
Jesus' hometown went absolutely berserk when Jesus exposed their lack of faith and obedience in an otherwise normal Saturday worship service, and attempted to KILL Jesus in this moment. This was during the early days of his ministry. Jesus was unflappable. Jesus was so grounded in the truth, and the people so thrown off, this passage says, "....he walked right through the crowd and went on his way." Do you see the nature of our savior? He was tough as nails. His teaching sent an illuminating and disruptive shiver through the whole town. They couldn't kill him as much as they wanted to; Jesus was right, and they knew it.
Questions for today:
What is the simplest act of obedience you can offer God?
What do you need to stop, start, or change?
How much would you pay to let go of some sin or pernicious habit?
Lent is for this--deep reflection and repentance as we prepare for the exuberant celebration of Jesus' resurrection that recharges our obedience every spring. Obedience needs resurrection power, and resurrection power is useless without obedience.
Song:
Nothing But the Blood of Jesus, The Vigil Project (BTW, this song is on a beautiful album, a meditation on the Lord's Prayer, in which each phrase of the prayer is a separate song)
Content for wisdom and contentment at: urenuf.life
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