Dear Amy,
What does faith that changes the course of nations look like?
We see something of it in the story of Naaman, in 2 Kings 5. The Lord had given victory to Syria through Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army (v1, how interesting), who suffered from leprosy. Previously, the Syrians had taken captives from Israel, and among them was a young girl, now a slave in the house of Naaman (v2). Not even named, and yet her faith makes her the hero of this story. How would you expect a young girl, captive in a foreign land, to live? Not like this, surely!
She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy” (v3). Talk about not playing it safe and keeping your head down! What can we learn?
- She was simply and humbly living her life, a slave in Naaman’s house, with no resentment or discontent.
- She had a generous heart, wishing good and not harm upon her captors.
- She had such a conviction that through Elisha the Lord would heal Naaman the commander of the army of a hostile nation, that she was prepared to put herself on the line.
Why did she speak out like this? What trouble would have come her way if there had not been a miraculous healing? Certainly the king of Israel himself expected the outcome to be conflict between nations (v7). Her faith is ridiculous. And so she is the reason that a pagan general’s life is turned around, he becomes a worshipper of the Lord, and takes his faith back to a pagan land, into the royal palace, no less (v18).
We have to conclude that the Lord placed this on her heart, as he does. These were his plans and purposes, and they rested on the faith of a humble slave girl, who otherwise might simply have been living in obscurity. And on her obedience, oh my! Risk-taking, reckless obedience, to the one who is faithful beyond measure.
Live with a faith that changes the course of nations, Amy! 🙏