In II Kings 5 we are introduced to Naaman, a decorated soldier who had brought great victory to his Commander in Chief, the king of Aram. Naaman is valiant, trusted and apparently indispensable … but he has leprosy.

He was encouraged by a young Israelite girl who served his wife that he should go to Israel and be prayed for by the prophet who lived there. He was desperate to be cured, so taking gifts of silver, gold and fine clothing he and his entourage found the home of Elisha. This has all the markings of a ‘state visit’ and Naaman expects certain protocol to be followed for him to receive his healing.

His servant knocks on the door and instead of a prophet filling the doorway, there is another servant … Elisha’s counterpart to Naaman’s man. “My master told me to tell you to go and dip yourself seven times in the Jordan River and you will be cured” he is told.

Naaman was disappointed and angry. “I expected him to come out, greet me and wave his hand over me as he appealed to his god … but, dip seven times in a muddy river? It’s absurd. It’s illogical. It’s demeaning. At least he could have had me dip in our own rivers; they’re better than any of the water around here!”

And Naaman almost walked away from his miracle. If it weren’t for the urging of his men, he would have returned to his own land still leprous and dying.

We, like him, sometimes look for ‘rational miracles’ which by definition is an oxymoron. There’s nothing rational about God’s supernatural dealings in our lives. But because we attempt to understand the incomprehensible, we are often caught by surprise with not only the miracle, but how it arrives.

We’re at the dock, waiting for our ‘ship to come in’ when God is arriving at the airport with our miracle. We’re looking to the east, when it approaches from the west. We assume it will come via angels when it’s coming through a friend. We listen for something loud when it comes softly.

This week remember, God has many ways of meeting the needs in our lives. We sometimes ask for only a pain reliever when He wants us to have the cure. What is ‘mind blowing miraculous’ to us is simply ordinary to Him.

Give God the latitude to come into your life according to His expectations and plans for you … not your expectations from Him.

 

“You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.” 

Psalm 77:14 NLT