wash in the Jordan

Every once in awhile, I go to church and it seems like the service is intended for me. Today, it was all about the Scripture readings. At the church I attend, we hear four passages every Sunday morning: one from the Old Testament, one from the Psalms, one from the Epistles and one from one of the Gospels. Being Episcopal, the reading selections follow the lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer, and I felt like today’s readings complemented each other especially well.

 

We began with 2 Kings 5:1-15. It’s a bit long, so I’ll paraphrase.

This is the story of Naaman, a great commander in the Syrian army who suffers from leprosy. On the advice of his wife’s servant girl, he journeys to Israel in search of the prophet Elisha, who has a reputation as a healer. Elisha’s servant tells Naaman that if he wishes to be made clean, he must wash himself seven times in the River Jordan. At first, Naaman is indignant– compared to the rivers in Syria, the Jordan is nothing but a muddy creek. But then Naaman’s servant makes him think twice–after all, what has he got to lose? So, Naaman sucks it up and does what Elisha told him to do, and he is cleansed. He gives glory to God.

Second, a portion of Psalm 42 (the KVJ is poetic):

 ¹As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
²My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
³My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
⁴When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
⁵Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Next, the Epistle. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (this is the ESV):

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Finally, the Gospel according to Mark, 1:40-45 (again, ESV):

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

 

After the turmoil of this past week (“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?”), I couldn’t help but be struck by the theme of healing that runs through these readings. I think about Naaman, how he asked to be made clean and was told he had to do something uncomfortable and embarrassing and degrading. I mean, come on, how is washing yourself in a river going to cure a debilitating disease? Obviously, it’s not the washing that heals Naaman, it’s God, and in this situation what God is really asking of Naaman is to have faith. It takes faith (and more than a little humility) to strip down and jump into the muddy water, and not just once, but repeatedly– seven times! It would seem like the leper in the Gospel reading got off easier– all it took was a touch of Jesus’s hand– but again, that guy was healed because of his faith. Likewise, the Psalmist is able to praise the Lord in spite of his suffering because he believes that God will uplift him.

Where it all comes together is in the Epistle. Paul tells us that we are after the ultimate goal: eternal life, full restoration of ourselves to God. But this is not something that we are given immediately, it is a prize we receive by finishing the race well. And, just like a runner, if we want to finish the race well, we must train long and hard for it. Developing self-discipline is not always fun– it involves doing things that may be tedious or frustrating or embarrassing or even painful, doing them over and over again. But Paul urges us to remember that we are not doing these things for no reason– they are necessary and done with a purpose. This training is how we develop and strengthen our faith, and it is that very faith which enables us to endure the rigors of the process, by His strength working through us. By keeping our eyes on the prize, we are able to believe that our efforts are not in vain. We must believe that step by step, day by day, God is making us clean.