Day 15: A Heart to Speak Life

BLESSING FOR COUNTING THE OMER:

Baruch ata Adonai, ELOHEYNU melech ha-olam, asher kiddeshanu bidvarecha v’tzi-va-noo al sifeerat ha-omer.

Blessed are you, O Adonai our GOD, King of the universe Who has sanctified us by your Word and commanded us concerning the Counting of the Omer.

Today is fifteen days, which is two weeks and one day of the Omer.

“Now Aramean raiding parties had gone out and captured a young girl from the land of Israel. She served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “I wish that my master could come before the prophet who lives in Samaria. He would cure him of his skin disease.”” 2 Kings 5:2-3

The scriptures describe the healing of Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-15). Naaman was a very successful military general for Aram, a “mighty warrior, but he had a skin disease” (2 Kings 5:1b). During a raid, a young Israeli girl was captured by the Arameans and then served his own wife. The young girl told Naaman’s wife about healing his skin disease by meeting with the prophet. Naaman took the information to his master, and the king of Aram told him to go get healed. He went to the prophet and was eventually healed of his skin disease.

The young Israeli girl’s country is war-torn. She is a survivor of one of the Aramean raids, now held captive by the highly respected, fierce general of Aram. It can be a terrifying thought to relate it to the recent past (and current) military situations in and around Israel. On October 7th, 2023, the news media displayed numerous horrors of young men and women that scarred the minds of viewers. Imagine being this young Israeli girl, through her dire circumstances, holding strongly to Hashem. Her compassion, faith, and hope are evident the moment she spoke of the prophet who could cure Naaman. If her faith had wavered, Naaman and his wife would not have thought to follow her instructions. They were so deeply hopeful in the young Israeli girl's words that they went into action after she spoke them. The true strength isn’t in Naaman, it’s in her. It’s in the young girl who lived and breathed Hashem, and Naaman and his wife knew it. They had no doubt to follow what she said. It’s very convicting and moving to think of this young girl’s bold action. Her relationship with Adonai gave her strength, love, hope, and rock-solid faith to speak healing life to her captor.

When things get difficult in the slightest, are we standing strong and speaking life to those who hurt us? Does our life show that our G-d is alive and living and ready to heal others? Are we presenting ourselves as an example of G-d’s love, even to our enemies?

Adonai, Everlasting King of the Universe, Ancient One of Days, lead us to have the heart to speak life in others in all circumstances as this young girl did. Please pour your healing love over us so that our actions and words bring healing to others (Proverbs 12:18). Continue working on our minds and hearts to speak “only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” as it says in Ephesians 4:29b and to abolish Lashon Hara (Negative Speech) in our minds and mouths. May our lives be a light in actions and words that creates in others unwavering faith and hope in You. In Yeshua Hamashiach’s Name, Amen.