(Lessons from The Shunammite Woman)
2 Kings 4: 20, 24-26 So he took him home, and his mother held him on her lap, but around noontime, he died….So she saddled the donkey and said to the servant, “Hurry, Don’t slow down for my comfort unless I tell you to.” As she approached Mount Carmel, Elisha saw her in the distance and said to Gehazi, “Look that woman from Shunem is coming. Run and meet her and ask her what the trouble is. See if her husband is all right and if the child is well.” “Yes,” she told Gehazi, “everything is fine.”
2 Kings 8:1-4, 5-6 Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other country, for the LORD has called down a famine on Israel that will last for seven years.” So the woman took her family and lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years. After the famine ended, she returned to the land of Israel and went to see the king about getting back her house and land. Just as she came in, the king was talking with Gehazi, Elisha’s servant…“Oh sir!” Gehazi exclaimed, “Here is the woman now, and this is her son—the very one Elisha brought back to life!” Is this true, the king asked her. And she told him that it was. So he directed one of his officials to see to it that everything she had owned was restored to her, plus the value of any crops that had been harvested during her absence.
THE SHUNAMMITE WOMAN
Life Before the Trial –
My name is unimportant. I lived in the city of Shunem. I’m a Shunammite. The people of my village are part of the tribe of Issachar. I come from a family of means, wealth. I am also a woman who “pays attention.” I noticed a holy man of GOD who continuously passed through Shunem. One day, I went to my husband and suggested we offer this Holy man hospitality. I suggested that we provide a little room for the man of GOD on the roof. The room would have a table, a chair, and a lamp where this man of GOD and his servant could stay and rest and enjoy a meal. 2 Kings 4:10 The man of GOD, was a prophet named Elisha. The prophet’s servant’s name was Gehazi. I was happy my family could be of service.
One day the man of GOD told his servant Gehazi to summon me. Elisha thanked me for my kindness and then asked what he and his servant could do for me. For example, they asked if I wanted them to put in a good word to the king or to the general of the army?
At this point, it would probably help to explain the importance of hospitality in my culture and to me. You see I am an Israelite. We were nomadic people. We often lived in desert climates. So, when strangers or foreigners passed by, offering hospitality, it was a matter of “life and death and honor.” Without hospitality (food and water) from other people, a person could die in a dessert. To offer a stranger hospitality meant that they became “your honored guest.” You were offering your home as a refuge, a place of protection, a place of rest. The forces of hospitality meant that when someone entered your home, they were given a place of honor, free from worry. In essence, you were treating someone as you yourself would want to be treated if you were in that person’s position. Hospitality is what Abraham showed to the three strangers who stopped by his tent, when he ran back to his tent and told Sarah, his wife, to use the best floor and to make some cakes for men to eat! Genesis 18:6 Hospitality was what caused Abraham to run out to his herd, selected a fat calf, which he had his servant hurry and butcher, and then served it up with other fine food from his table. And, then the men ate, Abraham stood nearby under a tree, waiting to see if they needed anything else. Genesis 18:7 And then the men departed, hospitality led Abraham to go with them part of the way, to ensure their protection from his home to the next part of their next destination. Genesis 18:16 Sheltering a guest under your roof has serious implications in my time for the host and the guest. Sharing a meal with someone was a communal commitment.1 Sharing a meal was a matter of trust for the host in the guest and the guest in the host. Hospitality is not something you do in order to receive something in return, it is something you do because “it is the right thing to do.”2
So, when I was asked if I wanted anything as a reward for my hospitality, I would not even consider such a thing. I had a home, among my own people and I was content. Perhaps that would have been “a trial” for some. Perhaps some would have wanted to give it some thought---after all, having someone “put in a good word” with a king or general could be very beneficial. Perhaps for some “it would have been tempting” to “have power,” “be seen,” “be recognized” or “be acknowledged” or to have an extra layer of security with “those in high places.” But this was not one of my areas of weakness or temptation. I was content with what I had.
But, the man of GOD decided to bless me anyway. I was called back and the man of GOD told me that next year, about this time, I would give birth to a son! At first, I thought Elisha was lying. 2 Kings 4:16 You see, I had no children—the term used for women like me is “barren.” I had come to terms with my situation---my circumstance--- my condition.
But, what the man of GOD said came true! I had a baby boy the following year just as Elisha predicted. 2 Kings 4:17
My Trials
Everything was going well. I was still living in Shunem. I was still living in my home among my people. My husband and I had a son and the child was growing. I was still extending hospitality to the man of GOD and his servant. I felt very, very blessed!
Then, one day, my child went to visit his father in the field and started complaining about a headache. His father called a servant and sent the child home to me. I was holding my precious child in my lap until about noon when the child suddenly died. I took the child to the man of GOD’s room, laid him on the bed, and shut the door. I then sent my husband a message to send me a servant and saddle a donkey because I needed to hurry and see the man of GOD right away! When my husband asked why, since it wasn’t a religious holiday and he didn’t understand why I would need a religious man, all I said was: “It shall be well.”
I got on the saddled donkey and told the servant to hurry and don’t slow down unless I tell you to. As I approached Mount Carmel, Gehazi, Elisha’s servant ran and met me on the road. Gehazi asked if it was well with my husband and well with the child. I answered: “It is well.” But I kept going. When I arrived at Mt. Carmel and saw Elisha I fell to the ground at his feet. Gehazi was about to push me away, but Elisha could tell I was troubled and ordered Gehazi to leave me alone. I then asked Elisha, “Did I ask for a son?” “Didn’t I tell you not to deceive me?” Then Elisha went into action. He gave Gehazi his staff and told him to run and lay the staff on the boy’s face. Elisha told Gehazi not to greet anyone along the way. But, I told Elisha I wasn’t leaving him. So, Elisha started walking with me back home. Before we reached the house, we ran into Gehazi. Gehazi told Elisha he did what Elisha told him to do but the boy had not awakened. When Elisha came to my house, Elisha entered the room where my son lay and started praying to THE LORD. THE LORD must have heard Elisha’s prayer because Elisha went into the room again and when he came out, he told Gehazi to summon me and gave me back my son---alive! 2 Kings 4:36 Yes, ALIVE!
My second “trial” occurred when the man of GOD, Elisha, told me to take my family and leave my home and village and move to a foreign land for seven years because THE LORD had decreed a famine on Israel. Shunem was my home. Shunem was the place where I was respected, where I reared my son and where my husband and I made a living off the land. Our farm was there. But when the man of GOD told me to “move,” I moved. My whole family and I became foreigners in the land of the Philistines for seven long years! But we survived. We sheltered in the foreign land and when the seven years ended, we returned to Shunem. We just waited until it was safe to return—at the end of the seven years. Could we have returned at the end of the first year or the second year or even the sixth year? Sure. But some risks are just not worth it.
The first thing that we did when we returned was to go see the king. to see if we could get our house and land back. I didn’t know what to expect. I just trusted GOD.
It turned out that GOD was 100 steps ahead of me. GOD had already worked it out. When we arrived at the king’s court, we saw Gehazi, Elisha’s servant! Apparently, Gehazi had been talking about me and my son, because I heard him say, “Here is the woman now, and this is her son—the very one Elisha brought back to life!” The king then turned to me and asked if it was true. I told the king, it was. Then the king directed one of his officials to see that everything I owed was restored to me. AND, the king even gave me the value of any crops that had been harvested on the land in my absence. Only, GOD could prepare this kind of welcome! ONLY GOD!
How I Got Through It
When I look back on what occurred, I can only say that hospitality is a two-way street. I was sheltering a man of GOD. I was learning from the man of GOD. Elisha spent a lot of time in communion with THE LORD. The private room I provided him gave him time to spend in prayer and in peace. When Elisha needed to relay a message, he sent his servant. He basically did not “waste his time” on trivial matters or lesser things. I learned several critical points: First, the man of GOD made GOD his focus. The messages he received from GOD were his focus. Many things, like conversing with commanders (e.g. Elisha sending his servant Gehazi to speak with Naaman, the commander-in-chief of the Syrian army (see 2 Kings 5), or sometimes speaking with kings (e.g. when Gehazi was at court with the king when my family returned) and often even speaking with me, Elisha left these matters to his servant Gehazi. I learned that sometimes, you need to know where and to what you need to pay your attention, and what can be left for others. I learned that from having the man of GOD in my house. So, when the problem arose, I went directly to GOD’s man. I went to someone who could help
Second, I learned that while I was extending hospitality to GOD’s man, GOD was extending hospitality to me! GOD was allowing me to enter into HIS REALM, HIS WORLD. What is GOD’s WORLD? It’s a WORLD where barren women have children. It’s a WORLD where the dead come back to life. In GOD’s WORLD, the impossible becomes possible. In GOD’s WORLD, NOTHING is too hard for GOD to fix! That’s GOD’s world and that is THE WORLD I entered.
Third, I believe that GOD spoke to “my spirit” and prepared “my spirit” while I was going through it. Like a GOOD HOST prepares a guest, GOD prepared me so I could face my trials with grace. That’s why I could say, “It’s well.” Sometimes GOD just “sustains” you through a trial (through an illness, dealing with a sick child or losing a loved one, or losing a home, or having to deal with adversity for seven long years). GOD will give you words to say. GOD will show you how to act. GOD will give you a “right frame of mind.” GOD will give you “peace” in the midst of a storm to live through a famine, to live in a strange place, to be displaced, to lose everything, to go wherever GOD leads. GOD will give you hope when all hope looks like it’s gone. I believe GOD did that for me!
In GOD’s realm, in GOD’s time, if you accept GOD’s invitation and GOD’s “hospitality” GOD will show up and “show out” because ONLY GOD CAN do what no one else can do! Only GOD can give you the words to say, can help you stand in the midst of a storm, and “see you through” when you can’t see your way.
So, be hospitable to others. Examine all the ways, GOD has taken care of you or your family or ancestors or given “life” to “dead situations” or “poured down blessings on you or your family’s life. Perhaps you have been living in GOD’s REALM and didn’t even know it!
Focus on what’s important and don’t waste time with the trivial. Spend quality time with GOD. Believe and have faith by entering into GOD’s world of the impossible! Trust and have faith that GOD CAN, even if you can’t see it or know how it will be done. And, let GOD speak to your spirit. You too may find yourself saying “It’s well” or “Everything’s gonna
be alright!
Let GOD extend hospitality to you!
MORE STRETCHING
- Calf Stretch – Stand up about hand’s length from a wall, with your arms extended about shoulder height. Start with both heals up. Then, slowly press both heels into the ground, feeling the stretch. Then slowly bend one knee with the heal up while the other heal of the other foot remains on the ground. Rotate bending your knee on each side until you feel a stretch on each rise. Rotating about 5-10 times. Then assume a front stance, with your right foot forward about a foot from the wall. Push against the wall slowly, so you feel the stretch in the calf of your left foot. Do about three gentle pushes, feeling the stretch, then switch feet so that your left foot is in a front stance position and repeat the exercise on the other side. Remember, these are gentle stretches. You are not trying to tear muscles. Take breaks if needed.
- Shoulder stretch - Stand up straight. Start with your hands by the outside of your thighs. Leading with your wrist and your fingertips pointing down, slowly raise your hands until your right hand is directly over your hand along the side of your head. Then slowly lower your hand, leading with your wrist and your fingertips pointing up until your hand float back to the start position. Do three of these shoulder stretches on the right side and then do the same movement on the left side. Then, again, standing tall, raise both hands over the head, like a big bird, and gently let the showers rise and fall as if you have wings. Again, be gentle. Breathe in when your hands rise up and breathe out when your hands float down.
- Seated Yoga Stretch - Sit up straight in a straight back chair. Cross one leg over the over so your leg is parallel to the floor and your foot over the top of your lower thigh above your knee. Do not put place your foot on your knee. Next, cross your arms and try to bring your parallel arms parallel with your cross foot. You should feel a stretch. Sit back toward the back of your chair as you cross and lean slightly forward. Try to let your crossed elbows touch to opposite points along your leg. Switch legs and repeat the forward stretch. Return to a crossed elbow straight back position between stretches. Gain, move slowly. These are gentle stretches. Drink water. Stay hydrated between stretches.
As always, if you have an injury, are concerned about safety or you have a medical condition, speak to your personal physician about what stretches are appropriate for you. If you experience and dizziness, discontinue the exercise and again consult your physician.
ENTER GOD’s WORLD
GOD’s WORLD is a WORLD based on faith. It’s a WORLD described in Hebrews 11:11, where walls tumble down when people of the faith walk around the walls for seven days. Hebrews 11:32 It is a WORLD where people pass through the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. Hebrews 11:29 In GOD’s WORLD, ordinary men like Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, and David win great battles and overthrow kingdoms. Hebrews 11:32 It is a WORLD where men are kept unharmed in a den of lions. Hebrews 11:33 It is where women receive their loved ones back from death. Hebrews 11:35
If you are ready for the impossible to become possible, enter GOD’s WORLD. Allow GOD to extend HIS hospitality to you!
Enter GOD’s WORLD, have faith, and BE BLESSED!
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1To share a meal with someone (e.g. Obadiah 7; Judas (John 13:18)) and then betray them was a serious breach of hospitality. Wars have even been nearly started over the refusal to extend hospitality (e.g. when Nabal refused to extend hospitality to David and his men and Nabal’s wife, Abigail intervened (1Samuel 25); or when Gideon asked the men of Succoth and Penuel for food and was refused (Judges 8:4-17) and later made them pay for this breach of hospitality.
2We are to love continuously. Hebrews 13:2 states: “Don’t forget to be kind to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!”
