Just One Thing

2 Kings 5:1
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.

I just recently used this portion of scripture in our Week of Consecration kickoff message entitled “Breakthrough”, but as I have continued to look at this text I began to see something else. Naaman, it seems from the scriptures, was doing pretty well.

• Captain of the host of the king of Syria
• Great man with his master
• He was honorable
• The Lord had blessed his leadership 
• He was a mighty man in valor

And still, with all he had going his way, he still had one thing standing in his way. The Bible simply says "but he was a leper”. Even with all his accolades, his wealth, his honor, and his victories he still had to look in the mirror every day and face the fact that he was surely going to face a horrible death at the hands of this terrible disease.

Naaman needed something to change. Naaman was desperate to be free from this horrible weight that followed him wherever he went and whatever he did. Surely each victory was celebrated and Naaman’s wonderful leadership was acknowledged, but all he could think was “But I’m a leper”. His king undoubtedly praised and rewarded Naaman for his battle prowess and honorable life, but all Naaman thought of was “But I’m a leper”. A nation was grateful for Naaman’s protection from its enemies, but all that kept rolling over in Naaman’s mind was “But, I’m still a leper”. Naaman had gotten to a place that his affliction was going to be hard to hide and everything that people thought of him would soon be forgotten because he was going to die a leper's death. Naaman needed a change in his life and the Bible says he knew where to go to get it. Here’s where the story gets interesting.

• Naaman had some expectations about how he thought he should be treated by the man of God
• Naaman didn’t appreciate being greeted by Elisha’s servant
• Naaman didn’t like that he was told to dip in the cesspool of Jordan 
• Naaman got angry and stormed off not getting his answer

Thankfully, Naaman had someone in his life to speak some sense into him. Thankfully, Naaman was willing to listen to this someone that was speaking sense into his life. Thankfully, Naaman got his mind right and did what the man of God had said and received his healing.

Sometimes we’re doing okay, but we’ve still got that one thing. We know where to get the answer, so we go to God. We don’t get the direction that we think we deserve. We may get upset (yes we do) with God. Hopefully, we have someone that will speak sense into our lives. Hopefully, we will listen and do what God says. If we don’t do what God says, we will still have the “one thing” laughing at us. But how long is long enough? You don’t have to be roommates with that “one thing” any more. It doesn’t have to always be there and be a permanent part of your life. You can get the change that you’ve longed for. But, you’ve got to come to God, listen to God, and follow exactly what God says to get your change. 

Don’t be a slave to that “one thing” any longer!
Pastor Hoffman