A mother in China providing a snack for her child in the park
Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she persuaded him to eat food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat food. II Kings 4:8
This Shunammite woman showed hospitality to Elisha. Hospitality (philoxenia) is demonstrated in the New Testament by showing love to strangers.
The Shunammite and her husband even prepared a room for Elisha to stay in when he came to their region.
The Shunammite was childless, and her husband was old, so Elisha told her that the next time he would see her, she would be holding a son. And it was so.
Time passed.
When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers. He said to his father, “My head, my head.” And he said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.”
She held him in her lap until he died. Then she laid him in Elisha’s room and shut the door.
She called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.”
He said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.” And she said, “It will be well.”
She saddled her donkey and set out for Mount Carmel.
Elisha instructed Gehazi to take his staff and lay it on the boy’s face, but the Shunammite insisted that Elisha go with her.
Gehazi laid the staff on on boy, but nothing happened. Elisha went into the room, laid on the boy and prayed. He walked in the house back and forth and then went into the room once more. The boy sneezed seven times.
“Take up your son.”
7 Characteristics of a Godly Woman
- Mutual respect. She suggested to her husband that they prepare a room for Elisha to stay in, and her husband did as she suggested. Her husband respected her.
- Wisdom. When their son was sick, the husband recognized that the Shunammite would know what to do.
- Hope. After her son died, she recognized that she could do no more, but she did not give up, and she told her husband that “It will be well.”
- Faith. She knew that the prophet of God, Elisha, did not give her a son to live just a few years.
- Action. She saddled her donkey and took off for Mount Carmel.
- Perseverance. When Elisha instructed Gehazi to go, she insisted that Elisha go to her son.
- Surrender. She surrendered her son to Elisha.
What if we possessed these characteristics as mothers and followers of Christ?
A mother in Delhi holding her son on the family’s motorcycle
My prayer for you
God of peace, thank You for the Shunammite and the lessons she has to teach us as women and as mothers. So many times, we hold our children, teach our children, pray for our children, and things still go wrong. We blame ourselves, but this woman did not, she said, “It will be well.” Father, You are in control of our children and our lives. Help us to persevere in faith and surrender our children to You. In You all things work together for those who are called according to Your purpose. We surrender our children to You and declare, “It will be well.”
