Monday of 3rd Week of Lent – 2 Kings 5:1-15; Ps 41:2-3,42:3-4; Luke 4:24-3
Naaman the Syrian with leprosy and the prophet Elisha, and this simple command: wash yourself seven times in the waters of the Jordan. Nothing difficult. But difficult to believe that something so simple is going to help.
And so it is for many in life. They experience or see great tragedy in life or in the world, but they don’t think prayer will have any effect. They prefer being angry, doing something, raising money, demonstrating – all good, and more effective than prayer they think. But if it’s instead of sincere, simple prayer, it lacks trust in God, and if there’s a lack of trust in God, He can’t work with us. And there can only be a human outcome – flawed and transient – as we are, and sadly as we can see.
Action with prayer (and fasting too) is when a disease can be cured, and not just cured but disappear. Well, maybe we all need a little more of the prayer of recovery . . . .