Daily Journal: 8 May

Full Restoration

The Shunammite’s Land Restored

2 Kings 8:1-6 (NLT)

Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other place, for the Lord has called for a famine on Israel that will last for seven years.” 2 So the woman did as the man of God instructed. She took her family and settled in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

3 After the famine ended she returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to see the king about getting back her house and land. 4 As she came in, the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king had just said, “Tell me some stories about the great things Elisha has done.” 5 And Gehazi was telling the king about the time Elisha had brought a boy back to life. At that very moment, the mother of the boy walked in to make her appeal to the king about her house and land.

“Look, my lord the king!” Gehazi exclaimed. “Here is the woman now, and this is her son—the very one Elisha brought back to life!”

6 “Is this true?” the king asked her. And she told him the story. So he directed one of his officials to see that everything she had lost was restored to her, including the value of any crops that had been harvested during her absence.

Lessons to learn from the Shunammite:

• She had the right people around her: she somehow became friends with Elisha and through him she looked to the Lord.

• She was courageous, moving to a new country she was unfamiliar with when she didn’t have a choice.

• She listened to the prophet.

• She followed wise counsel.

• She was proactive, coming home when the time was right (after the famine ended).

• She was assertive, petitioning the king for her land.

• She looked after her family. She took her family with her to be saved from the famine (presumably this would have been extended family in those days). She had her son with her when she went to petition the king. Where was her husband?

• She was ready to tell her story.

The Lord continued to favour her life. Why did God favour her so much?

• She looked to Him.

• She listened.

• She was obedient.

• She trusted.

• She looked after others.

God’s restoration is full restoration. More than what can be naturally expected.

Psalm 34:15 (ESV)

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.