Dirt, Rocks, and a Bolt

“So Naaman said, ‘Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.’” 2 Kings 5:17, 18

I have this tendency to pick up little mementos as my husband and I travel from here to there. Oh, I’m not speaking of trinkets from gift shops, but treasures I find along the road.  For instance, I have a simply marvelous bolt that I found next to the Alaskan Pipeline, some prized kernels of corn from Lancaster County in Pennsylvania where some Amish were harvesting a field, and some spectacular dirt and mica from my beloved South Dakota.

My husband always smiles as he looks on while I harvest my little riches. I know, of course, that I can only take pictures in National Parks, and believe me, we have several scrapbook albums that depict this wonderful earth that our precious Lord bestowed upon us. I don’t bow before or worship my little treasures, for I know with certainty that God’s grace is sufficient for me. The larger ones adorn the garden and the smaller ones are located in our home. Each one is special and is my way of “makin’ memories.”

In 2 Kings 5, we meet Naaman, the commander of the army of the King of Syria. He had leprosy and, just as we would, was searching for healing. He heard that he could receive his healing in Israel. We see that Naaman’s servants listened intently to the prophet Elisha’s instruction to go to the river Jordan and wash himself seven times to receive God’s healing touch.

Naaman thought that the prophet would heal him, not realizing that his healing would come directly from God. His servants urged him to obey Elisha’s counsel; after entering the river, he was healed and received God into his heart. He then asked Elisha if he could carry two mule loads of Holy Ground back to his home in Syria as a remembrance of God when he returned to his pagan land. He didn’t need the dirt, of course; God’s presence isn’t ushered in by “stuff.” However, we are told often in Scripture to make memorials so that we remember what God has done.

I didn’t bring two mule loads of dirt back from Israel but I did bring two small rocks home from the Sea of Galilee. One holds a prominent place in my scrapbook and I broke the other one into smaller pieces and I share them to bless others.

Father, You bequeathed this big beautiful earth, the skies, and the seas to our care. May we honor Your gift as we walk through our daily lives fulfilling Your will. In Your majestic name, Jesus. Amen.