2 Kings 5:19 "'Go in peace', Elisha said, so Naaman started home again."
Naaman, the commander of the Aramean army has come to Elisha to be healed of his leprosy. Upon being healed by Elisha's instructions to go and wash in the Jordan River seven times, Naaman confesses that there is but one true God. After this realization, he admits to Elisha that when he returns home, he still will have to enter the temple of Rimmon with the king and bow before Rimmon. Elisha, the prophet of this one true God, simply tells him, "Go in peace."
Do we blur the lines sometimes between the supernatural and the superstitious? Shouldn't Elisha have instructed Naaman to stay far away from Rimmon, never enter the temple again, burn all of Rimmon's books and boycott the Rimmon movie at the theater? Maybe, but maybe not. There is this crazy tension between separating ourselves from what is evil and sinful, but also relying on faith and knowing that in Christ, Satan has no power over us. I know I need to do my best to keep myself from anything that causes me to stumble, but also understand the grace and freedom we have in Christ is greater than any temple.
Dear Jesus, help me follow you and trust you wherever I am. Amen.
