Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Friday, July 24, 2015

Based Upon 2 Kings 4:8-37

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“And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.” (2 Kings 4:34–37).

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What would you do if you discovered that your only son was dead—call the coroner? Would you do the obvious and weep and mourn, or would you extend your hopes toward God, that somehow, someway, your son would live again?

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Elisha and his servant Gehazi frequently went to Shunem, a town near Jezreel where King Saul and Israeli troops once camped prior to their infamous battle of Gilboa. Thankfully, a woman and her husband were kind enough to honor the men by regularly giving them a place to rest along their journey. One day, they decided to build up a little room for the man of God, with his own entrance, for him to use as he wished whenever he was in town.

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Elisha respected her hospitality and asked her what he could do for her. “Can I put in a good word for you to the king or the commander of the army?” he asked. She assured him that she was just fine, and asked nothing of him. She said that her family took great care of her. So, Elisha, being somewhat perplexed asked Gehazi’s opinion. “What can we do for this lovely lady?” Gehazi observed that this woman had no son, and that her husband was old. ““Call her back again,” Elisha told him. When the woman returned, Elisha said to her as she stood in the doorway, “Next year at this time you will be holding a son in your arms!” “No, my lord!” she cried. “O man of God, don’t deceive me and get my hopes up like that.” But sure enough, the woman soon became pregnant. And at that time the following year she had a son, just as Elisha had said.” (2 Kings 4:15–17, NLT).

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A few years later, this woman’s dear son was out working with his father and the harvesters in the field. He cried that his head hurt, so the father told one of his servants to carry the boy home to his mother. As she attended to the boy, he dropped dead. She did not call 911, 119, or her husband to say the child was dead. Instead, she sent to her husband for a servant and donkey so she could go and see the man of God, which her husband thought was strange considering it was not a special occasion. When she arrived, Elisha saw her afar off and when they came close, she fell at his feet. Gehazi tried to move her away, but Elisha knew that she was in distress. “Then she said, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? And didn’t I say, ‘Don’t deceive me and get my hopes up’?” Then Elisha said to Gehazi, “Get ready to travel; take my staff and go! Don’t talk to anyone along the way. Go quickly and lay the staff on the child’s face.” But the boy’s mother said, “As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I won’t go home unless you go with me.” So Elisha returned with her.” (2 Kings 4:28–30, NLT). Gehazi did as his master commanded, but to no avail. Elisha went in unto the boy and prayed for the Lord’s guidance. He then stretched out over the boy two separate times, and miraculously, the boy’s body warmed back up, he sneezed seven times, and was back to good health. God raised him from the dead! The Lord saw fit to use his son Elisha, to lay his wooden staff on the boy, stretch out upon him, and bring him back to life again.

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We, like the boy were born by the special unction of God. Against all odds, our God chose to give us life. But, just like the boy, we have been born in sin...