Did I Miss Something?
“But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me!” [2 Kings 5:11]
Patience! Not my area of strength to say the least! I don’t have time to wait around for things to happen or get done! My expectations are that when I need something, it is satisfied immediately. I don’t like to admit it, but I’m that way with God, too. I pray, and then I expect an immediate result to occur on my terms, in my time, and in the way I think it should happen.
What about you? We live in the “microwave” generation of expediency. I want to eat now, so I’ll just microwave something quick. I want a new car now, so I’ll just buy it and go deeper into debt. I want to get married now, so let me settle for the quickest way to the ceremony. I want to get well now, so I’ll take all the medicine possible despite the side effects. I want…I want…I want… AND I want it now!
Naaman was commander of the Assyrian army and he had enjoyed tremendous success in whatever battle he waged. Except one – his battle with leprosy. There was no cure. So, through a “divine” (appointment) coincidence, Naaman’s boss, the king, sent him on a journey to a foreign land. There, he would find a prophet of God that would heal him of his leprosy. Naaman was all in!
Naaman arrived in the foreign land and finally found the prophet of God. That is when things took a turn for the worse. Naaman was used to people submitting to his presence; consequently, that was his expectation of the prophet, too. The problem was that the prophet followed the beat of a different drummer – God. So when Naaman arrived at the prophet’s house, he didn’t even come out to see or greet Naaman. The prophet’s messenger was the one to greet Naaman, providing Naaman with the terms of his healing: “go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River.” That was it for Naaman. He came unglued and stalked away angry. He refused to go dip himself in the Jordan River because he had his own expectations of how he should be healed.
Fortunately, the army officers that accompanied Naaman talked him off the cliff and advised him to follow the prophet’s instructions. Eventually, Naaman surrendered his pride and went and dipped seven times in the Jordan River. Not only was he healed of his leprosy, but his skin became like that of “a young child.”
Is God wanting to do something in your life, but you have your own expectations of how and when it should happen? Here’s something to consider: Don’t miss your miracle because of the method.
What about you? Is it time to surrender your “microwave” expectations?
