A few days ago, I was impressed to re share the story I had originally posted on the widow’s oil because I had re read 2 Kings 4. The continuation of that particular chapter tells of the story of the Shunammite’s son being restored to life.
The Shunammite woman was described as a ‘well-to-do woman’. This woman and her husband took care of Elisha’s needs for food whenever he passed through town. Then the woman out of her kindness, decided that Elisha and his servant should have a comfortable place to stay when they passed through town, so she convinced her husband to build this room for them.
Elisha wanted to reward her for her kindness. He started trying to offer her the things that he thought would add happiness to her life. She declined them all. She was already comfortable. The servant suggested that she had no sons. Elisha thought that would be the perfect and fitting gift for her. When he told her that in the next year ‘you will hold a son in your arms’ you know what her response was? ‘No, my lord,…don’t mislead your servant’. In those days, having a son held a place of honor. I don’t think it was that she didn’t want a child, I believe she had tried for so long with her husband and had given up hope that it was possible. After years of trying, she’d likely given up hope. But Elisha promised her a son, within a year. Guess what? God delivered.
Fast forward a few years and the son is growing up, and suddenly gets sick and dies within a matter of hours. This woman exercised great faith. Her son is laying dead, and she tells her husband she needs to go see Elisha. When he asks if everything is ok and why isn’t she waiting to see him, her response ‘it’s all right’. When Elisha sees her coming from a far way off and sends his servant to find out ‘are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’ Notice the specificity in which the questions are asked. Her response ‘everything is all right’. I don’t know about you, but I know that at that point I would not be containing myself, but this woman is once again comforted in the fact that Elisha, the man of God had promised her a son, and it would be all right.
She doesn’t even tell Elisha that her son is dead. She starts asking him and reminding him of the fact that she did not ask for a son. Elisha sends his servant with his staff with specific instructions. The woman refuses to leave Elisha. The servant is unable to bring the boy back to life. When Elisha gets there, he has to go in to the boy, pray, and lay his body over the boy’s body twice before the boy comes back to life.
Sometimes, God will give us things in life because He wants to reward our faithfulness to Him. We have to trust that He is able to take care of any good gift He sends us, even when it seems impossible.
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are able to see our needs and wants, long before we even experience them and you can provide a way. Lord, help us that while we may be doubting of how things may work, because we have tried everything for ourselves before and it hadn’t work, when you say you will provide for us, that we can trust that you will provide and you know what’s best for us.
