Naaman's Leprosy, Jesus's Baptism, and Me at the Jordan River.

We recently had the opportunity to make are way to the Jordan River just outside Jericho.  It was here that people flocked traveling 50-90 miles to hear the John the Baptist proclaim, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand"  (Mt 3:2).  It was also here that Christ came to be baptized, the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus and voice could be heard, "this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Mt 3:16-17).

So you can imagine my anticipation to arrive at this powerful spot in the Scriptures and in the Lord's life.  I arrived to find the Jordan river to be no more then 30 feet wide (it can fluxuate).  The water was muddy from the silt and sand being dragged down the river, not to mention the contaminates from the farm run-offs upstream near Galilee.  In the end, the site I went to go see was nothing, but a dirty creek!

For some reason I decided to read and reflect on the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5.  Naaman was a commander in the Syria army (the strongest kingdom at the time).  However, the commander, Naaman had leprosy.  He was encouraged by servants to make his way to the land of Israel for a cure.  The king of Syria desiring that his faithful commander be healed, he sent treasures with him to buy the cure!  The King of Israel receiving the commander was scared because he knew he could not heal the commander.  But Elisha, a prophet in Israel, told Israel's King to send the commander to him.  Naaman went off to Elisha expecting some great miracle, but was told by Elisha to go and wash in the Jordan river 7 times.  Naaman's response was similar to my own reaction to the Jordan river, "Are not the rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel?  Could I not wash in them and be clean."  Naaman was not so excited to bathe in the Jordan, for even back then, it was seen as a dirty river, nothing special.  Naaman's servant appealed to him to go anyways, Naaman secedes and washes himself in the Jordan only to have his leprosy cured!

As I reflect on this great story, God took something muddy, dirty, in all reality nothing special like the Jordan River and raise it to be a place of great revelation!  Isn't that what the Incarnation of God all about?  God takes something muddy/dirty (man being made from the earth), He takes something not special and raises it to something beyond our comprehension.

I sat at this sight reflecting about this spot.  And then all of sudden it became real!  If God can do amazing things at the Jordan river, what could He do with my life!  My life is filled with mud, dirt, and in reality not very special.  In my own limits, faults, weaknesses, and sins the Lord takes something and can transform it to something beyond my own expectations!  All I need to do, like Naaman, is allow the Lord to transform the muddy and dirty waters of my life!