A Heart Matter...

As I read the rest of the story of Naaman, the Aramean officer, I can’t help but be confused about his request to Elisha to pray for him. Here we have a newly converted and convicted believer in the God of Israel. He has sworn to not practice idolatry anymore. Yet his prayer is for a pardon when he bows down to the pagan god of the king of Aram that he serves. If he is certain God is real and the only One worthy of our praise, why wouldn’t he declare that to his king? Why would he bow down to a false god? Isn’t this a compromise, going against his belief system? Isn’t this the very thing Shadrach, Meshach, and Obendigo willfully risked their lives for in the fiery furnace? Daniel in the den of lions? OR did it really matter? Because he knew in his heart that there is only One True God, when he bowed down it was only out of respect for his king, not disrespect for God, that it didn’t mean anything to him. He asked Elisha for God to pardon his behavior before it even happened, proved this bowing down, was meaningless for him. God knew his heart; where his allegiance was. This wasn’t a test to prove his allegiance to God. So I leave you with this: when God knows your heart, the reason behind your “doing of things”, it no longer becomes a proving ground to Him or to you. Compromise? Religious defector? Are you still loyal to your Maker? Ask God to reveal the truth about this in your heart. Then and only then, will you know where your treasure truly lies (Matthew 6:21).

17 Then Naaman said, “All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the Lord. 18 However, may the Lord pardon me in this one thing: When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the Lord pardon me when I bow, too.”19 “Go in peace,” Elisha said. So Naaman started home again. 2 Kings 5:17-19