Expect the Unexpected in Your Fast

So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

—2 Kings 5:14

Money can buy a lot of things, but it cannot buy your health. Naaman was a man with leprosy. Being a soldier, he could hide his skin by wearing his uniform. But when he came home at night it was the same story—was a leper. The young housemaid that served his family was a follower of God. She had heard the miracle stories of the prophet Elisha, and said to her master, “If only you could make your way to the prophet Elisha you could be healed of leprosy.”

Against all odds, Naaman asked the King of Syria if he could go see the Prophet. The King of Syria, taking it upon himself, wrote a letter to the King of Israel asking for Naaman to be healed. The problem was, he was asking the wrong King. The King of Israel replied, “I have no power to heal your servant.” Now, hearing of Naaman’s visit to the King, Elisha asked for Naaman to be sent to him.

Naaman approached the house of Elisha, feeling hopeful.

Now, remember that God does not always answer our prayers in the way we think. The man of God, Elisha, sent his servant to the door telling Naaman how to be healed of his leprosy: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River.”

“What!” Naaman said out loud. “I am a man held in high regard, and I expect to be treated with the same respect!

"Me, dip in the dirty Jordan? Are you crazy? Forget this.” He thought to himself, “I knew this was too good to be true.”

But his slaves grabbed him and said, "Sir, if the prophet would have told you to do something more difficult, would you have done it? It’s simple, just go dip seven times in the Jordan River.”

It required an act of faith. We find in this story that God often will ask us to do things to stretch our faith—to teach us to trust Him.

Naaman knew he had no other option. Dipping down once, twice, three times…no results. Four, five, six…“This seems far-fetched,” he thought, “but I will go down one more time.” The seventh time, dipping under by faith into the Jordan River—Naaman came up whole. His skin was that of a newborn baby.

I think God likes the number seven. For it was on the seventh day that He rested. And now, for the first time, Naaman could understand rest—resting as a new creation in God. He was healed through the hand of the prophet and the heart of a good God.