BCP - Grace comes first

I'm tired and I don't think this is going to make much sense. Getting back to this is harder than I thought it would be, but having people to keep me accountable is certainly helping.

Tonight as I read the OT and Gospel passages a contrast struck me. In the story of Elisha healing Naaman, Naaman is many things. He is an outsider. He is of the royal court. He is a leper. Namaan has many reasons why he shouldn't be healed. Elisha tells Naaman what he is required to do before he can become clean. Namaan pitches a fit, but does it and is healed.

Move to the Gospel where Jesus heals the man before requiring him to do anything. The man doesn't do what he is told, and yet remains healed. This seems strange. This creates a problem for me, but yet it doesn't. When God is directly involved (see Abraham, Jacob, the people Jesus touched) grace comes first. (I'm not sure the followng is univerally true, but...) Interestingly, when humans are the agent by which God works (see Elisha) those who seek help are required to do some work first. God does amazing things, without us deserving it in any way. God works through people today, but requires trust from both healer and those seeking to be healed. Yet what seems to be a problem works for me in the fact that God continues to work, no matter what. Thanks be to God!