"Mothers, Keep Believing Always"

Mothers, Keep Believing Anyways

1 Peter 3:1-2 (NLT)

2 Kings 4:8-37 (NLT)

This account of the Shunammite’s son is one which teaches us about faith. It shows us something about what faith is and how faith works. The passage tells us very little about this woman and her background and how she became a believer or where she came from. In fact, it does not even directly speak of her faith, but the events in the passage demonstrate it, and after all, it is more important to demonstrate our faith than to talk about it. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians that “we live by faith, not by sight.” (Amen)

But you know what? Our faith needs to grow! God wants us to grow in our trust and relationship with Him. He wants to teach us how to turn our entire lives over to Him–all our fears, hopes, dreams, or problems, whatever they might be.
But we are often happy and comfortable with the status quo, with our religious routines and the comfort of our lives. The Lord, however, wants to stretch our faith and He often tests us in some area where we not only need it, but where we are the most sensitive and vulnerable–a physical weakness, personality trait, our job, our pocketbook and in this case our child or children–God knows us and works accordingly.

And so it was with this Shunammite woman. She had a special need in her life, and this need was in an area of great vulnerability for her. In Old Testament times, being without a child was a great burden for a couple, but especially for the woman. Children are blessings from God. They are the result of the direct blessing of God for it is the Lord who opens or closes the womb. She takes her responsibility seriously and with great caution. She takes us on this incredible journey of faith with her child and shows us great motherhood.

I believe she was a great mother not just from a human point of view but from a spiritual one as well. Notice them with me.

Great Hospitality

2 Kings 4:8-10

8 One day Elisha went to the town of Shunem. A wealthy woman lived there, and she urged him to come to her home for a meal. After that, whenever he passed that way, he would stop there for something to eat.

9 She said to her husband, “I am sure this man who stops in from time to time is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s build a small room for him on the roof and furnish it with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Then he will have a place to stay whenever he comes by.”

Back in those times there were no Marriott’s. Those who traveled were dependent upon the gracious hospitality of the people in the land, especially the prophets in their traveling ministries as they moved about from place to place.

In the New Testament gracious hospitality is one of the signs of maturity and a general responsibility for all believers, especially to fellow believers.

This mother was hospitable. She willingly opened her home to the need she saw. Because this became a regular occurrence whenever Elisha passed by, she wanted to go a step further. She asked her husband to build on a room to make life more comfortable for the prophet.

This mother practiced true hospitality as opposed to mere entertaining and here’s the difference between the two.

• In entertaining the focus is upon the hosts and their home, the furnishings, décor, etc. which are all designed to impress the guests.

• In hospitality the focus is on the comfort, pleasure, and refreshment of the guest. The design is to bless the guest. See the difference?

She was not simply satisfied with a place for Elisha to sleep but knew he needed a private place, a place to pray, meditate, study, refresh himself and be alone with God. She was concerned for the details of his needs. That is hard to be aware of if your focus is on your needs and your wants.

Tell your neighbor… It’s never about you, it’s always about God

Great Faith

2 Kings 4:18-24

18 And the child grew. Now it happened one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers. 19 And he said to his father, “My head, my head!”

So he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out. 22 Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.”

23 So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “It shall be well.” 24 Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.”

The mother’s first response is to lay the boy on Elisha’s bed. I wondered why she would do this. Perhaps it’s because she wanted to get him as close as possible to the man of God (or his belongings in this case). Perhaps it was in preparation for when the man of God returned at her request. Regardless it seems that in her hurry she was immediately looking for help from God, not from herself or anyone.

She then saddles a donkey and takes a servant so that they may “run” to Elisha. I imagine, while she frantically packs, her husband stands silently in the corner watching. Finally he asks why she’s going now since it’s not a day of worship. Either he doesn’t understand what she has in mind or he doesn’t believe a resurrection can happen.

Obviously there is a crisis. She drops everything, and runs to the man of God; in essence, running to God. I can’t imagine how she feels or what she is experiencing, but I can learn from how she responds. She runs to God. How many of you know that when there is a crisis, you need to sprint to God? You have do something (faith without action is dead)

Not all do. Sometimes, people blame God and run away, they turn their anger at God and stay mad at God and reject the comfort and peace God wants to bring. I’ve seen it, and I bet you have seen it also. But there is a better way. And that best way is Jesus!

Our immediate response to every crisis should be to draw near in faith to God. We needn’t waste time complaining or plotting. Our first response is to seek Him.

Here’s why… Our hope and faith is not for the present only, but it is largely based on the future. The boy in her arms was dead, but she looked to what might be after God worked. (you just missed your chance to shout!)

Her only response to him is “It shall be well.” There was no worries, weeping, grieving or fear. In essence she was saying, “God is Greater!”

Her son has just died in her arms, and her only plan is to go to the prophet; how will this make things well? As soon as Elisha sees her he knows something is wrong, and he sends his servant to find out. The servant asks the question if all is well for her, her husband, and her child.

This time she answers “it is well” instead of “it shall be well.”

What does this mean pastor Flowers? I’m glad you asked…

I believe that, now being with the prophet, when this woman combined her faith with her hope for the future that she was able to rest easy knowing that somehow everything would eventually “be well.” I might liken it to a mending patient in a hospital: the body is still not healed, but all is well because healing it’s on its way.

Now things are different today. You do not have to come to any person on earth to get to God, but let us adopt the same mindset as this mother – if there is to be an answer, a solution to my situation, I must get to God.

I must take it to God and lay it at his feet which is exactly what we see her doing. (ex. Sick, in the streets, poor in school, bad choices and decisions, drugs/alcohol, depression, mental illness, bad relationship, lazy, bad attitude, a foul mouth, or lack self-control)

Brothers and sisters, faith gives the victory. Nothing stopped this mother. She had faith in God and persistence to keep going until she made contact with the man of God for her son’s sake. (Amen)

Grateful Heart

2 Kings: 4:32-36

32 When Elisha arrived, the child was indeed dead, lying there on the prophet’s bed. 33 He went in alone and shut the door behind him and prayed to the Lord. 34 Then he lay down on the child’s body, placing his mouth on the child’s mouth, his eyes on the child’s eyes, and his hands on the child’s hands. And as he stretched out on him, the child’s body began to grow warm again! 35 Elisha got up, walked back and forth across the room once, and then stretched himself out again on the child. This time the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes!

36 Then Elisha summoned Gehazi. “Call the child’s mother!” he said. And when she came in, Elisha said, “Here, take your son!” 37 She fell at his feet and bowed before him, overwhelmed with gratitude. Then she took her son in her arms and carried him downstairs.

Once Elisha reaches the house, the first thing he does is “shut the door” because it’s a private matter not a public matter (quit telling everybody your business) and he prays to the Lord (prayer changes things) Then he lies on top of the child until his flesh begins to warm (he makes physical contact) Finally, Elisha paces once back and forth (meditates), and then lays on the child AGAIN (makes physical contact), then the boy sneezes seven times (number for completion) and opens his eyes.

Through fervent prayer and meditation, God answered Elisha’s prayer and the boy came back to life to be restored to his mother! This should reassure you that anything is possible with God.
We might not understand the means by which God operates, but we are always to have a grateful heart. So mothers, spend your time praising God rather than complaining or doubting.

Philippians 4:4-7 (NLT)
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Do you know what is truly praiseworthy about this mother? She was a woman who was committed to the Lord no matter what her situation. We see her serving Him before there was any miracle (before the birth of her son) and bowing before Him after the miracle. Her situation did not cause her to waiver in her relationship with the Lord.