Contemplative Bible Reading

2 Kings 5:1-2 (New International Version 2010)

¹ Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.  ² Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.

These verses begin the (hi)story of Naaman. He was the general who had leprosy and was healed by washing in the dirty Jordan River seven times. We first learn of Naaman as the commander of the army of the king of Aram.

Naaman was highly regarded because through Naaman the Lord brought victories to Aram. Well, that is respectable, right? It is until we read verse 2. Aram was not the “good guys.” They raided Israel now and then and stole young girls to be slaves.

Why would the Lord bring victories to a slave ring?

The usual answer is that God was using Aram to punish Israel for its idolatry and disobedience. That makes sense, but still, I struggle to accept that the theft of children is approved by God. So I sit and wonder about this one. What was the Lord doing here?

I don’t have an answer.

Perhaps that is my place as a part of creation; I don’t understand the creator. I don’t like that place. I want to understand everything that God does. No, that is too gentle. I demand to understand everything that God does. Such is my recurring sin of arrogance – the demand that God make himself understandable, explainable, and rational by my line of thinking.

Lord, forgive my arrogance and grant me peace in my lack of understanding.