Telling The Story
Telling The Story
Reading: 2 Kings 8-9; 2 Chronicles 21; 1 Timothy 4
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!” (2 Kings 8:4-5 NLT)
Even the ungodly king of Israel loved a good story! The king asked Elisha’s servant Gehazi to tell some stories of the great things Elisha had done, so Gehazi began telling the story of a woman from the town of Shunem (See 2 Kings 4:8-37).
The woman had shown kindness to Elisha by providing a room for him to stay in when he traveled through her town. In appreciation, Elisha had asked God to give her the desire of her heart—a son. Several years later, when her son fell ill and died, Elisha had brought him back to life. Then, when a seven-year famine struck the land, Elisha advised her to move away until the famine was over. Now she had returned, and had come to the king to ask for her land to be returned to her.
At the precise moment Gehazi was telling her story to the king, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to ask for the family estate to be returned to her! Was it a coincidence that at the very moment she and her son walked in, Gehazi was telling the king her story?
Friends, the message for you and me today is to trust God more and worry less. I don’t know how things will work out, but God knows how to work things out—right down to the precise moment and the exact detail. Don’t worry! Live life, trust God, and remember that he is able to orchestrate the timing and details. Don’t worry!
Prayer:
Father, Thanks so much for this story! I believe you can handle all the details of my life, just as you did for the woman from Shunem. I trust you for the fulfillment of the promises you have made to Jean and me. I trust you that you will allow us to serve you effectively and significantly in the years ahead. I trust you for provision, protection, and direction. Please make this both revelation and reassurance for me and for my friends who read this today. Amen.