Tis the day before Sunday and here in my house, the pastor is studying and avoiding the souse. The scriptures on Naaman and leprosy and running are causing me grief that's in no way too stunning.
Here are the scriptures: 2 Kings 5:1-17 and I Corinthians 9:24-27 -- I've opted not to use the gospel story of Jesus healing the leper.
I love both of these passages. I love the 2 Kings story because 1) it's not familiar and 2) it takes some doing for Naaman to accept the healing that God wishes to pour out on him -- he's got quite a few "roadblocks" -- specifically arrogance -- that stand in the way of receiving what God has for him. And I love I Corinthians because it talks about the discipline with which Christians are to go through life to gain a prize that is eternal. In both of these scriptures, I see the prize before us -- for Naaman it is healing of both body and spirit -- and for Christians it is eternal life. But what else ties these two passages together? I'm stuck, you see, because Naaman seems to get hung up on receiving the gift that is before him because it's so simple, while Christians in I Corinthians seem to get hung up on the discipline that we must train ourself with because it's so hard. In both, God blesses. But the process to receive the blessing seems so very different. So I'm working through that now at the not quite 11th hour. If you have any last minute thoughts as you prepare for tomorrow, drop me a note!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
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Well, I'll keep going here . . . I know that in my congregation it's awfully hard for anyone to ask for help. And in the Naaman story, he had to set aside his own arrogance to receive the help that was before him. So I'm seeing how I can use that scripture. But I still want to tie it into the second scripture. I've been thinking a lot about how much training we must go through to keep our bodies well -- almost like a bootcamp to get ourselves back in shape and spiritual bootcamp is what we all need these days -- a refresher course in listening to what God would have for us rather than imposing what we want to do (be lazy, let eternity come to us). Naaman wanted the healing to come to him, thinking he was a high enough general to get the best treatment from the best of the best . . . even the best rivers! He wanted healing on his own terms. We want eternity on our own terms. But it doesn't work that way. For both Naaman and ourselves, we have to submit to one who is greater than us, who can make us more than we know that we can be. And we have to let go of all that stands in the way of receiving such healing, such a gift.
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