2 Kings 4:17
“…But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the
appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her”
In verse seventeen, Elisha’s word comes to pass, just as the prophet had foretold. At a time when she no longer expected it, God finally granted her the desire of her heart. In the same way, God will remember and come through for you, even when you have ceased to ask and have lost all hope. Our Prayers never go unnoticed before the Father and in His own time, He will come to your aid. He may seem silent for so long; but our Prayers and petitions are ever before Him. Every word uttered in His name, all promises claimed in faith and the fasting periods endured are never in vain.
He stands true to His word and will never leave nor forsake those who in desperation and unreserved helplessness cry out to Him. So when life turmoil’s have ended you in the pool of despair; when you have tried and failed so many times that you have even forgotten how to dream, remember that God has not forsaken you. He still has your best interest at heart and your name is engraved in the palm of His hand. His ways are not your ways, neither are His thoughts your thoughts, so in His time, He will make all things beautiful.
As we read further, the child is said to have suffered from a short illness that killed him. When her son dies, the Shunamite woman goes to fetch Elisha. As she approaches the man of God, his servant Gehazi comes to inquire if all is well with her and her family, to which she says it is. She refuses to discuss her problem with anyone but Elisha, not even with her husband. When she gets to the prophet, he instructs that she return to her home with Gehazi, who is to touch the boy and possibly bring him back to life. Once again the woman declines, adamantly telling Elisha that she will not leave him alone. Eventually Elisha returns to her home with her and brings the boy back to life.
What is it that we do in times when our situation, like death has no solution, cure or remedy? Do we sit and mope, complaining to God about why we ended up in this situation? Or do we occupy ourselves with idle chit-chat, discussing our problems with friends and family who gladly join our pity party? Perhaps we accept our fate and forget the miracle that it took to bring us to where we are in the first place. Sometimes we simply moan inconsolably, blaming God and other people for having let us down.
As for the Shunamite woman, she goes back to the source. She remembers that her child was a gift from God, a miracle wrought through Elisha and so she returns to the Giver. She does not hold a funeral, mourn and return to her childless lifestyle. Instead, she fights for the life of the child God has entrusted in her care. She does everything in her human power to save the boy, even as he seems beyond a point of redemption and God rewards her efforts.
When life throws difficult situations at us, we ought to return to the Giver. We should not forget how God brought us here to begin with and instead of discussing our problems with husbands who cannot solve them, or Gehazi’s who are mere messengers, let us go straight to the Giver. Let us battle with the Lord in Prayer and God who recompenses every Prayer made in faith will grant you the blessing you so desperately desire. He has given us a wonderful promise;
Hebrews 4:16
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”
My friend I don’t know what it is that has brought your life to a dead-end, a situation that is without the slightest sliver of hope. Remember, where God brought you from and console yourself in knowing that He will not bring you this far to leave you. His Will will never take you where His grace cannot protect you. As one writer so accurately stated,
“We have nothing to fear for the future,
except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us in the past…”
[…] Does this situation sound familiar to you? .. Let me tell you a little more in Don’t Die in Winter…. Part 2… […]