Naaman's Need

“Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable… but he was a leper… So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.  And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.  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…  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” (2 Kings 5:1-14).  “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). 

We see a portrait here is set

In Naaman, captain of the host,

Whose greatest need had not been met,

The healing that he needed most. 

He was a leper after all,

In spite of all his battles won. 

By leprosy he soon would fall,

And none could save him; no, not one. 

At last a ray of hope had shined:

A prophet was in Israel. 

Perhaps, if he was so inclined,

The prophet’s prayer would make him well.

Elisha was the prophet when

This cry for healing reached his door. 

He sent his servant to him then,

But Naaman thought there should be more. 

When Naaman heard the remedy,

To wash in Jordon and be clean,

He thought the cure for leprosy

Would come with a fantastic scene. 

But Naaman’s servants gave their voice

And told him that he should obey,

So he might wash and thus rejoice

That God had made him whole that day. 

When Naaman did as he was told,

He found his leprosy was gone. 

And here, indeed, we may behold

A lesson that we should pass on. 

The grace of God that brings salvation

To all mankind has now appeared. 

The Lord removes the condemnation

With every sin which He has cleared. 

It’s time to do the simple thing

That God commands us all to do: 

Repent and trust in Christ the King,

Who cleanses us makes us new!

We thank You, Lord, for Naaman’s story,

Which illustrates salvation’s plan. 

To You alone be all the glory

Who brought salvation down to man. 

Our deepest need was met, O Lord,

As Naaman’s need was in his place:  

Our souls are healed, cleansed, restored,

And saved by Your redeeming grace!