More than anything in the world, she wanted to be a mom. But she didn’t talk about it much, mainly because she didn’t trust herself. Acknowledging her longing too often brought tears, or even worse took her to a disappointing place of hopes and dreams that would never come true.
She will never forget the day a man of God told her she was having a son. She didn’t believe him at first. She wanted to, but how could she reopen that longing she had worked so hard to close?
Over the next few months, as her belly grew so did her faith.
Nothing short of a divine miracle made her mom to a little boy whose hugs felt even better than she imagined. The boy’s father loved him, too. The two often talked while they worked the fields and to his dad, their conversation was sweeter than the ripe figs at harvest time.
On one particularly hot day, the son cried out in pain. “Daddy, my head hurts.”
Dad had hoped a nap on Momma’s lap would help. But while Momma held him, the son she had prayed for slipped away.
The moment she couldn’t feel his warm breath against her arm or feel the beat of his heart upon her chest, she knew what she must do.
She laid her son’s limp body flat on a bed and put on her coat. She wasn’t preparing for his burial; she was expecting his resurrection.
She rushed to her husband, but she didn’t fall apart in his arms gasping for breath to share the bad news between sobs. Instead, she asked him to saddle the donkey because she was in a hurry to see the man of God who promised her a son.
Her husband questioned the reason for her trip. She didn’t waste time offering excuses or wondering where things went wrong. She didn’t blame him for having the boy under the hot son. She didn’t blame herself for not being able to nurse him back to vitality.
Her answer was three short words, “It is well.” Her husband knew her well enough to know it wasn’t. But he respected her enough to let her go. So off she rode propelled more by the prospect of a miracle than the fast pace of her donkey. She wasn’t paralyzed by remorse; she was focused on results.
When the man of God saw her coming in the distance, he recognized her urgency, sensed something was wrong, and sent his servant out to meet her. The servant asked if all was well with her, her husband and her son. He received the same three-word answer, “It is well.” It wasn’t a lie. She believed it would be.
She was headed for the hill, for the man through whom God worked. And when she came to him, she fell at his feet and lay down her burden. Moved by her grief, the man of God hastened his servant to the boy. But the woman didn’t hurry back with the servant. She walked the road back to her son with the man of God. She wouldn’t settle for the helper; she trusted the Healer.
Her faith was well-placed.
She will never forget the day a man of God told her she was having a son. She didn’t believe him at first. She wanted to, but how could she reopen that longing she had worked so hard to close?
Over the next few months, as her belly grew so did her faith.
Nothing short of a divine miracle made her mom to a little boy whose hugs felt even better than she imagined. The boy’s father loved him, too. The two often talked while they worked the fields and to his dad, their conversation was sweeter than the ripe figs at harvest time.
On one particularly hot day, the son cried out in pain. “Daddy, my head hurts.”
Dad had hoped a nap on Momma’s lap would help. But while Momma held him, the son she had prayed for slipped away.
The moment she couldn’t feel his warm breath against her arm or feel the beat of his heart upon her chest, she knew what she must do.
She laid her son’s limp body flat on a bed and put on her coat. She wasn’t preparing for his burial; she was expecting his resurrection.
She rushed to her husband, but she didn’t fall apart in his arms gasping for breath to share the bad news between sobs. Instead, she asked him to saddle the donkey because she was in a hurry to see the man of God who promised her a son.
Her husband questioned the reason for her trip. She didn’t waste time offering excuses or wondering where things went wrong. She didn’t blame him for having the boy under the hot son. She didn’t blame herself for not being able to nurse him back to vitality.
Her answer was three short words, “It is well.” Her husband knew her well enough to know it wasn’t. But he respected her enough to let her go. So off she rode propelled more by the prospect of a miracle than the fast pace of her donkey. She wasn’t paralyzed by remorse; she was focused on results.
When the man of God saw her coming in the distance, he recognized her urgency, sensed something was wrong, and sent his servant out to meet her. The servant asked if all was well with her, her husband and her son. He received the same three-word answer, “It is well.” It wasn’t a lie. She believed it would be.
She was headed for the hill, for the man through whom God worked. And when she came to him, she fell at his feet and lay down her burden. Moved by her grief, the man of God hastened his servant to the boy. But the woman didn’t hurry back with the servant. She walked the road back to her son with the man of God. She wouldn’t settle for the helper; she trusted the Healer.
Her faith was well-placed.
When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Then he summoned his servant and said, “Call the Shunammite woman.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.
2 Kings 4:32-37
This is the story of the Shunammite woman, but it can be your story, too.
If the child you love, the child you prayed for is slipping away, maybe because of depression, or past mistakes, or a silence you just don’t understand, don’t give up. God can resurrect her joy, his confidence, your relationship. He resurrected His Son. He can resurrect yours, too.
If the child you love, the child you prayed for is slipping away, maybe because of depression, or past mistakes, or a silence you just don’t understand, don’t give up. God can resurrect her joy, his confidence, your relationship. He resurrected His Son. He can resurrect yours, too.
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