Monday of Lent 3

Monday of Lent 3, March 5, 2018                      2 Kings 5:1-15b

What would you do to be healed of a horrible disease? Naaman was willing to do almost anything—except place his trust in the LORD and in His prophet. When his unbelief was pointed out by his servants, he relented, and was healed, as God had said through the prophet Elisha. Verse 15, shows that Naaman then trusted in the one, true God.

We live in a fallen world. Outside of Eden. One of the effects sin has on our world is disease. When Jesus walked here on earth, He healed diseases, beginning the work of restoring the fallen creation. When He died on the cross, he won the victory over sin and the devil. On the Last Day, that victory will be brought to fulfillment, as the present heaven and earth pass away, to be replaced by a new heaven and earth—one in which there is no sickness or disease.

The hymn, "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" (LSB 700), tells us that God is the source of all love, and Jesus is the manifestation of that love. Jesus healed a leper from a horrible disease,( Mark 1:40–45) because of His compassion and love. In this hymn, we ask God to heal us of the disease of our sinfulness, that we might love as He loves us.

Hymn: Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain (Lutheran Service Book 435:1)
Come to Calv’rys holy mountain
Sinners ruined by the fall;
Here a pure and healing fountain
Flows for me, for you, for all,
In a full perpetual tide,
Opened when our Savior died.

Look upon the heart-felt desires of Your humble servants, Almighty God, and stretch forth the right hand of Your majesty to be our defense against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen  1

1. Collect  for Monday of Lent 3, http://www.liturgies.net/Lent/LentenCollects.htm