"And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.”"
2 Kings 8:6
Rewinding a little to 2 Kings 4 : 8:10 , "One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food. And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I know that this is a holy man of God who is continually passing our way. Let us make a small room on the roof with walls and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that whenever he comes to us, he can go in there.""
The Shunammite woman recognized Elisha to be a man of God. She would provide him food whenever he passed by. Now she wasn't just satisfied with what she was doing. She didn't do a mathematical calculation and say , "ok so I have done my good deed for the day and so God is pleased with me.. " , its not like she had a to do list and this was something she checked off a list. It came from her heart. And when something comes from the heart it is not limited by boundaries. She went a step further. She spoke to her husband and had a room made for him and furnished it for him so that when Elisha would pass by he would have whatever he needed.
- When we say we love God and choose to honour Him we don't live by check lists or weigh out what we have done. We desire the more
Now as we continue reading in Chapter 4 we see how Elisha prophesied that she would have a son though her husband was old. And by God's grace she did. However we read that her son actually died. We read in verse 20, "And when he had lifted him and brought him to his mother, the child sat on her lap till noon, and then he died." Whoa.. wait wait ... wasn't this still the woman who honoured God ? Wasn't this a child of promise ? Yes ! And see what she did... She didn't start cursing God.. she didn't wail or weep or consider it the end of everything. She did what she knew... she went to Elisha and there she poured her heart out. And we read in verse 35 of how God answered Elisha's prayer and restored the child back to life. How cool is our God !
- Even in circumstances that are challenging , remember this , our God is still God ! :) Our hope, our trust is in Him. We don't live our lives based on circumstances which forever change.. We live based on the word of God and in Christ who never changes !! Such joy to live in such certainty knowing our lives are in His hands
Coming to chapter 8 we read in verse 1 , "Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, and depart with your household, and sojourn wherever you can, for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will come upon the land for seven years.”" She listened to the word of God and obeyed. What she heard was translated into action and she left. And guess what happened when she returned after seven long years...As she appealed to king , guess who was talking to the king at that time ? Gehazi - Elisha's servant. He was telling the king of all the things that God had done through Elisha and yes that is the moment the Shunammite woman makes her appeal to the king. Isn't it so beautiful what God prepares for us way ahead of us !!
And that's not all guess what happened then .. Not only was all the land that belonged to her restored but also all the produce of her fields till that moment ! She was given more than what she asked. Verse 6 , "And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.”"
- Our part is to listen and obey Him ! He prepares the way for us. He is Jehovah Rohi ! He is our shepherd, we wont be in want !
Its not a one time activity or thing to do. Its a life of loving Him and listening and obeying His voice.
God Bless
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