I've been thinking this morning about Naaman the Syrian, whose story is shared in 2 Kings 5. He was the top general for the king of Aram, and a Leper. His boss sent him to the king of Israel to be healed of his leprosy. The king of Israel (wisely) passed him off to Elisha. Leprosy... was rather problematic. According to RisingStarOutreach.org,
Once a person is infected with M. leprae the bacteria spreads through the body. It affects the skin, nerves, eyes, and other mucous membranes near the body’s openings.
Because leprosy affects the nerves, if it is left untreated it can lead to serious loss of feeling or sensation. Injuries such as burns or cuts may go unnoticed because there are no pain signals to warn an individual of harm to his or her body.
This loss of sensation in the extremities can lead to greater risk of severe infection, and can lead to the shortening of toes and fingers which is due to re-absorption. Other serious signs of advanced and untreated leprosy may include paralysis and crippling of hands and feet, extreme light-sensitivity, blindness, loss of eyebrows, nose disfigurement, and skin ulcers.
Elisha didn't bother to examine Naaman himself. Instead, he sent a servant to tell the great general to immerse himself in the (extremely dirty) river Jordan, nearby. The general pitched a fit about the rivers back home being MUCH nicer, and stomped off. Eventually, his servants coaxed him into following the instructions of the holy man, and
His skin was healed; it was like the skin of a little baby. He was as good as new. He then went back to the Holy Man, he and his entourage, stood before him and said, "I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is no God anywhere on earth other than the God of Israel. In gratitude, let me give you a gift."
Elisha refuses the gift, and sends him on his way home. But Elisha's servant Gehazi sneaked out and gave Naaman some contrived story about Elisha wanting something after all, so Naaman happily Gehazi back with two changes of nice clothes, and 150 lbs of silver (!), and even sends a pair of his own servants back with Gehazi to carry the loot for him.
When they got to the fort on the hill, Gehazi took the gifts from the servants, stored them inside, then sent the servants back. He returned and stood before his master. Elisha said, "So, what have you been up to, Gehazi?"
"Nothing much," he said.
Elisha said, "Didn't you know I was with you in spirit when that man stepped down from his chariot to greet you? Tell me, is this a time to look after yourself, lining your pockets with gifts? Naaman's skin disease will now infect you and your family with no relief in sight."
Gehazi walked away, his skin flaky and white like snow.
So here Gehazi did something slimy in secret, but God told Elisha all about it. But God DOES this sometimes. I Corinthians 14: 24-25 tells us:
But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"
Years ago, I was part of a church where God was moving powerfully for a season. We were having church six nights a week, and would often go to 11 pm. The worship leader would come with two sets of songs, and then we would have to just wing it. By the end of the service, 1/3 of the congregation was being prayed for, 1/3 was praying, and 1/3 was passed out on the floor. God's presence was PALPABLE. A sense of His Holiness was overwhelming.
So much so that I was having my own private prayer time before going to church, fessing up to any lingering sin in my life before even daring to get in the car to go to church.
Because I WAS GOING TO CHURCH TO MEET WITH GOD.
And there was a very real possibility that the secrets of my heart would be revealed, as 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 pointed out. That's what happens when a prophetic people, a LISTENING people, start paying attention to The-God-Who-Talks. He shares stuff. Incidentally, the Tabernacle of the ancient Hebrews was called the Tent of Meeting. Not because it was the meeting house, where the congregation met for services. Not at all. The Tent of Meeting was where they would go to meet with God.
That's what I want from going to church. Not great music, not an insightful sermon, not fellowship with other believers, although each of those things are important. I want to go to church to meet with God. That's what.
I also wonder about Naaman's leprosy. Why leprosy? Why not cancer, or beri-beri, or Alpha-Gal? Was it because leprosy destroys the sense of feeling, and so the body doesn't warn you that the fire is hot and you are being burned? Elisha's servant was punished with leprosy after doing something shady and God told on him. Was God speaking to Gehazi the whole time, but he wanted to do it, so he ignored God and did it anyway? Did this spiritual lack of feeling, this lack of sensitivity to the voice of God become visually represented by a physical lack of feeling, and the accompanying destruction? If I continue to ignore God's voice, will I develop Spiritual Leprosy- the lack of ability to feel and see and hear spiritually? I wonder.
As Sunday approaches, may we each get alone with God, and 'fess up. Clear the air. Clean the slate. And may we go to church to meet with God. And may He meet us there.
In the Meeting Place.
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