2 Kings 8 - 2.21.25
Scripture: 2 Kings 8:3-6
3 At the end of the seven years she came back from the land of the Philistines and went to appeal to the king for her house and land. 4 The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, “Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done.”5 Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to appeal to the king for her house and land.
Gehazi said, “This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” 6 The king asked the woman about it, and she told him.
Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, “Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.”
Observations:
The woman and her family had obeyed Elisha’s warning and went to the land of the Philistines to escape the famine. The woman’s land had been taken during their absence. She may have been wondering, “Why did this bad thing happen.? We obeyed God.”
However, she did not sit and sulk. She went to the king. God had a perfect plan to give her even more than she was asking for. She arrived at the very moment Gehazi was telling the King about “the servant of God” and how he had raised the dead back to life. This is her story. The King asked her to tell it.
Then the king assigned an official to her case giving her back everything they belonged to her, even the income her land earned!
God always prepares the perfect way for us. It may look like our obedience cost us or even put us in a place of peril. However, we can go to the King of Kings and make our plea. He will restore or give us even better. If we continue to walk through a hard time, He uses it to teach and prepare us.
Nothing would have happened if she did not make an appeal. It can be hard to step out and speak to those in authority. The king gave her an advocate to get back what was hers. An extra blessing, she had someone to do the hard work for her. Whoever had her land could not argue with the official. Especially when told to give back the income her land had earned.
Application:
I have seen God do divine appointments. I end up at the right place at the right time. But during hard times, it is easy to be distracted and forget all that God had done or believe that He will do more.
This stood out to me because God is always looking out for us and setting up encounters like this. Most of the time we may not even recognize it.
It takes our being and bold. She had to go to the king. We know she and her family were farmers, not nobles. Also, the obvious - she was a woman! They were not business people in that day. Still she went to make her appeal. She wanted for her family the land that had been theirs for generations.
I want to not shy away from taking action. It usually requires stepping out of my comfort zone. Even as RK shared on Sunday, we may be going among the wolves. God will direct my path and have the best prepared as I follow Him.
Prayer:
Lord God, Thank you for all you have done in my life. Just like the Shunammite, there have been miracles. You are not done. Please help me to continue to press in, push through after a time of famine and make an appeal to the one who can bring about the change needed. You have prepared a path for me, people to tell my story to. Please help me to look for those you have for me to speak to and go where you’ve called me to go. Your ways are amazing. Thank you Lord. May I shine Your light. Amen
- Cindy Howard
