All Is Well

II Kings 4:8-37

To what lengths will you go to get an answer to your prayers?  In our Old Testament reading from this week’s Lectionary, we read the account of a woman who was blessed with her heart’s desire, then when the evil one will attempt to snatch it away from her, we see how she perseveres to get her prayers answered.

Elisha was a great prophet of the Lord who preached and ministered in the northern Kingdom of Israel.  He traveled around the country preaching the Word of God.  In the village of Shunem there was a godly woman who persuaded her husband to make a guest room in their home for the man of God to stay in whenever he was in town or passing through (vs. 8-10) .  She obviously loved the Lord and wanted to do what she could to help His servant, the prophet.  She did what she could, and it did not go unnoticed by God or His servant, Elisha.  After offering her a good word with the king, which she refused, Elisha spoke with his servant, and they took note that she had no child, which was a reproach and shame for women in that era (vs. 12-14).  This woman had never even dared to risk this prayer, not wanting to be disappointed or heartbroken, but when Elisha told her that God would grant her her heart’s desire, she believed, and received the answer (vs. 15-17).

Several years later the boy was out helping his father and the farm hands with the harvest, when he started to get what was probably heat stroke.  The boy was taken to the house where his mother attempted to care for him, but nevertheless he died (vs. 18-20).  Can you imagine the devastation of this woman, that the child of her unspoken prayers had now died as a child?  She was a woman of immense faith, though.  What did she do, but take the child and lay him on the bed of the Man of God, whose intercession with God had given her the child (vs. 21).  She is not going to let the enemy snatch away the child that God had given her.

Our lady here is determined to have her prayers answered, and sets off to join her prayers and faith with that of the prophet of God. When her husband asks her about where and why she is going, she tells him “All is well.”  How could all be well when her son lies dead in the guest bedroom?  This is where her immense faith speaks out. She knew that if God had given the boy to her, he will restore him back.  That was a sign of especially strong faith, because at this time raising someone from the dead was basically unheard of.  During the Old Testament era, very few people had been risen from the dead. Elijah, the mentor of Elisha, had raised one person from the dead in I Kings 17:17-24. That didn’t stop her faith.  No one was going to tell her “no”!  She told her husband that all was well, because she trusted and believed it would all be well.

The lady of Shunem hitched up her donkey and took an all-day ride to where Elisha currently was, at Mt. Carmel.  Distance, uncomfortable ride on a donkey, possible danger, none of these would hinder her from persevering with God.  When she runs into Elisha’s servant, again she answers that “all is well”. When she reaches Elisha, she does not leave him until he comes, as she knows that his prayers will reach God (vs. 25-28).

Our lady’s deep faith is rewarded, as Elisha returns with her, and her son is raised from the dead (vs. 29-37).  She could have given up at any point.  When he died on her lap she could have said that dead is dead, there was nothing she could do.  When she knew that Elisha was a distance away, she could have said that it was too much trouble.  What deep and heartfelt prayers do we have? Are we willing to persevere in prayer, holding on and not give up?  Can we say, like our lady from Shunem, that “all is well”, even before we get the answer? All is well when we put our faith and trust in the Savior, Jesus Christ.