Naaman's leprosy 

2 Kings 5.1-27

This isn't really about leprosy or healing...it's about attitude and expectations. Do you remember Naaman's response when Elisha sent his servant out with instructions for Naaman?

But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy." (2 Kings 5:11) 

What is your attitude and response when God doesn't come through in the way you want or expect?

Naaman's pride was wounded. He was offended. He was angry. Isn't God interested in at least meeting us where we are?

Not really. God will accept us where we are, but He doesn't meet us where we are.  The call from God is always, "Come here..." The problem is our expectations that God will meet our need and leave us alone to continue our lives. We want to be cleaned up and left on our own paths of self-determination.

God cleans us up to set us on His path for our lives. Grace and forgiveness aren't His reward for our ability to live our lives well...quite to the contrary. Grace and forgiveness are necessary because we are NOT capable of living our lives well. We make messes out of things. We go from crisis to crisis. 

It didn't matter how many battles Naaman had won. It didn't make any difference that the King of Aram leaned on Naaman's arm when entering the temple...Naaman still had leprosy. He was still 'unclean.'

We can think we are somebody and maybe even convince a few others that we are somebody, but God knows we are unclean - and we know it too! We know deep down that we are just frauds...we hope no one else detects it.

God isn't telling you to go to the dirtiest little river in the country and dip seven times. He IS saying, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." (I Peter 5:6)