03.47. The Way of Recovery: 2Ki_5:11-14

Chapter 13 The Way of Recovery
2 Kings 5:11-14

Speed in this wilderness is the gift of God alone. Whether He grant it, or whether he suffer the believing pilgrim to halt disconsolate on his way, the mark is at length attained. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."

"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. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean! Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean."

How interesting and instructive are these few verses! The heart of Naaman is here laid open to us. And what one thing can be more like another in all its essential features, than is "the heart of man to man?" While, therefore, we are considering the conduct of Naaman, some of us may unawares discover our own character. Naaman’s remarkable displeasure, together with the judicious and well-timed remonstrance addressed to him by his faithful servants, will form the two subjects of our present meditation. May this be accompanied with the Divine blessing! Amen.