A Shunammite Mother who prepared a Place for God
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When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. And he said to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” And when he had lifted him and brought him to his mother, the child sat on her lap till noon, and then he died. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door behind him and went out. Then she called to her husband and said, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again.” And he said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath.” She said, “All is well.” Then she saddled the donkey, and she said to her servant, “Urge the animal on; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.
When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite.
Intro: Background on the Story
The Shunammite women
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.”
She went from feeding to Decerning
When she realizes that he is a Man of God she says don’t just feed him give him a place to abide
She made a place for him in her House
Now watch this watch what happens because she made room for him to abide
One day he came there, and he turned into the chamber and rested there. And he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” When he had called her, she stood before him. And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘See, you have taken all this trouble for us; what is to be done for you? Would you have a word spoken on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’ ” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.” And he said, “What then is to be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.” He said, “Call her.” And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway. And he said, “At this season, about this time next year, you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God; do not lie to your servant.” But the woman conceived, and she bore a son about that time the following spring, as Elisha had said to her.
Because she made room for God in her life not just a meal but a place to abide you receives a promise.
Some of our promises haven’t came because we just having snacks with God but will not make a place for him to abide
She saw the importance of the presence in her life permanently she gave him an address and the promise came looking for her.
And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.
Have you given him an address? she said You can receive mail here.
Now wait it gets worse before it get good here. Getting a promise is one thing but keeping it is another.
Holding on to the promise and that is where the text has found this Shunammite Mother today losing a promise she had already determined she would not ever get then getting it only to have it die in her lap in the middle of the day. In the broad daylight.
The Man of God was now trying to do some discerning of his own here
So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.
When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite. Run at once to meet her and say to her, ‘Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?’ ” And she answered, “All is well.” And when she came to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came to push her away. But the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for she is in bitter distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me.”
I don’t know what it is but she ain’t happy. This ain’t no meal coming
Notice there was no rebuke for her disposition
to the servant she only offers “Hi and bye get out my way you not the one that can help me” stop letting people who can t help you get or keep anything distract you fromt he thing that God has promised you the scruipture says to “cut away those things that so easily beset us.”
She took hold of what made the promise Don’t ever settle for the death of your promise
I hear people say all the time well at least God let me taste. That is not biblical he said taste and see and then continue to pursue.
Now watch what happens
Then she said, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?’ ” He said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child.” Then the mother of the child said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore he returned to meet him and told him, “The child has not awakened.”
The prophet says to the servant put it in turbo she got ahold of me and it requires a reaction.
Notice she has not let go of his feet
She is saying I will drag you to the place of the promise to see my dead promise
When are we going to get desperate enough about the things of God to fight for them to demand them
No I am a child of God
She says no I want the thing that gave it life to restore life. If you can give it you can keep it going I am not giving up.
she says nothing will separate me from this promise
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. Then he summoned Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.
Elisha persisted in prayer in match with the persistence of the Mother
God will match you drive he says Give and it shall be given
Be like this Mother
Who saw the need to make a dwelling place and when the promise came to her was persistent to keep it.
you have to press into that thing press into that thing
Is there something that you had but it has died and you put it away in the closet and excepted the death of what God had promised?
It is time to go back to the place of that promise and take hold of God and shake till there is life back in it.
God says if you will press i will restore if you press i will restore
give me a place to abide and thing that you once asked God for and decided you would never get it . He says if you make a place of dwelling for him in your life he is going give that Hope a promise and bring life to that thing.
