In small matters, not mighty deeds
Lead and comfort me, O Christ, until my long grief is seen at last for what it is: a small and passing thing that will one day crumble and give way to unimagined glory.
Lead and comfort me, O Christ, through all my days, until your kingdom is finally and fully realized, your victory over death is demonstrated complete, all of your good promises are perfectly fulfilled, and sorrow and sighing have fled forever. Amen.
(Douglas McKelvey, Every Moment Holy, Volume 2, p. 300)
2 Kings 5:1-14 NLT
The king of Aram had great admiration for Naaman, the commander of his army, because through him the Lord had given Aram great victories. But though Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy.
At this time Aramean raiders had invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naaman’s wife as a maid. One day the girl said to her mistress, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.” So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said. “Go and visit the prophet,” the king of Aram told him. “I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing.
The letter to the king of Israel said: “With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy.” When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? Why is this man asking me to heal someone with leprosy? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.” But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in dismay, he sent this message to him: “Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me, and he will learn that there is a true prophet here in Israel.”
So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me!
Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage.
But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So, you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!” So, Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed!
Naaman was at first outraged by Elisha’s instructions to wash seven times in the Jordan. His servants, however, had more faith—just as the Israelite maidservant had shown more faith than the Israelite king. They sensibly pointed out that he would have been keen enough to do something difficult, so why not something easy? Obedience to Elisha’s simple instructions produced healing. God is often asking for faith and obedience in small matters when we think he is requiring mighty deeds.[1]
As we should be deaf to the counsel of the ungodly, though given by great and respected names, we are to have our ears open to good advice, though brought by those below us. Wouldst thou not do anything? When diseased sinners are content to do anything, to submit to anything, to part with anything, for a cure, then, and not till then, is there any hope of them. The methods for the healing of the leprosy of sin are so plain that we are without excuse if we do not observe them. It is but, Believe, and be saved; Repent, and be pardoned; Wash, and be clean. The believer applies for salvation, not neglecting, altering, or adding to the Saviour’s directions; he is thus made clean from guilt, while others, who neglect them, live and die in the leprosy of sin.[2]
LORD, FOREVER AT THY SIDE
James Montgomery (1822)
Lord, forever at Thy side let my place and portion be; strip me of the robe of pride, clothe me with humility.
Meekly may my soul receive all Thy Spirit hath revealed; Thou hast spoken; I believe, though the oracle be sealed.
Humble as a little child, weaned from the mother’s breast, by no subtleties beguiled, on Thy faithful word I rest.
Israel now and evermore, in the Lord Jehovah trust; Him, in all His ways, adore; wise and wonderful and just.
Teach Me Thy Way
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Corinthians 4.15).
[1] John J. Bimson, “1 and 2 Kings,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 366.
[2] Matthew Henry and Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), 2 Ki 5:9.
