Hi Friends,
Our family is currently reading through the book of 2 Kings. What a trip reading these stories with ages 3,6,8,10,12 & 14…GREAT opportunity at this point to express to them how awesome of a book the Bible really is,
“It is a realistic, down-to-earth piece of literature. Its characters are not halo-bearing, otherworldly spirits, but men and women of flesh and blood whose total humanity is boldly displayed.”
-Marvin R. Wilson
Reading the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5 was heavy with discussion and wide-eyes. Before I go further, let me be clear in the picture I paint for you: the 8 year old is coloring and listening half of the time (I think), the six year old is building with Legos and making a LOT of rocket blasting sounds, (I’m just glad he’s still around the table with us.) And the 3 year old, well, that depends on the day. But I keep him as close by as I can because the 10, 12 & 14 year olds were that little once, and today, as I read the story their minds were focused and bodies nearly on the edge of their seats.
Naaman, a great man and commander in a Gentile army has come to Elisha, a prophet of God in the land of Israel to find healing from leprosy. To say nothing of the pride and humility played out on the stage of this story, Naaman gets healed, declares His belief in the God of Israel as God over all the earth and wants to take dirt home with him to worship Adonai on a bit of earth from Israel when he is home again in Syria. This story keeps your wheels turning.
But after checking to see if he could pay for the gift of God and was told no, he simply asks for dirt and one. more. thing:
In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.†2 Kings 5:18
Wow. I look up at my children’s faces and find them fully engaged in this story, so I pause, for dramatic effect. I only intended to mess with them, because I knew how much they would want to know what Elisha would say. Instead, before I knew it, the table was turned on me. One of them, quiet and tender, starts, “I think God will.” And then another, “I know it.”
They wait for the ending, as I fumble in the next moments, my heart recovering from watching my children reflect what they believe to be the character of their Creator.
He said to him, “Go in peace.†2 Kings 5:19
I wish I could show you a picture of their smiles at that moment,
Raynna
P.S. The Martyrs’ Cross IS back in stock for now. I do not know that we will get more before Christmas, so if you were hoping to grab one, now is a good time! Buy The Martyrs’Cross here.
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