Changing Of The Heart

2 Kings 5:10-12---And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

Naaman was a great commander in the army of the king of Aram. He had contracted some type of skin disease. His wife's servant was a young girl from Israel. The young girl spoke of a prophet that could cure Naaman. With the king's permission, he journeyed to Israel to be cured. The king of Israel thought it was a ploy to have a reason for the king of Aram to go to war with Israel. Elisha sent word that the king of Israel need not worry. He asked that Naaman is sent to him so that Naaman would know there was a prophet in Israel. Actually, God was after Naaman. He was pursuing him by means of his affliction. If Naaman believed Jehovah's prophet could cure, then he would believe in Jehovah. Naaman had other issues to be dealt with, namely his pride. Instead of going out to meet this esteemed commander, Elisha just sent a messenger. God's direction for healing was a humbling thing. The Jordan is dirty and mucky. Pride sent Naaman into a rage at this simple request, but his servants calmed him down and helped him to humble himself. After the seventh dip, Naaman came up with skin like a young boy's. He had a conversion experience. His outward cleansing caused him to trust in God for an inward cleansing. He took soil back from Israel so that he could worship the God that he now knew to be the one true God. The biggest miracle was not that his skin was cleansed but that his heart was changed. God pursues everyone with the desire to see them know Him. Will we humble ourselves and let Him do a miracle in our lives, or demand that He meet our expectations?