There's a Blessing behind Honor & Obedience

Take a moment to self-reflect...how do you treat God's people?  In particular, how about those God has charged to lead His people?  There is a clear message to all in Psalms 105:5 (GW)  Do not touch my anointed ones or harm my prophets.  There was a woman who's life was a great example of this for us all. She applied the principle and was able to reap the benefits.

Let's visit the town of Shunem where a wealthy woman lived.  2 Kings 4:8-17 tells us that she invited the Prophet Elisha into her home for a meal.  The times, thereafter, when he passed through, he would always stop there to eat.  What was it about Elisha's life that assured her that he was a man of God?

Do our day-to-day lives announce that we are men or women of God?

From the text, we can infer that just feeding him was not enough for this woman.  She discussed it with her husband and decided to prepare a room for Elisha to stay in when he passed through her town.  With no strings attached, she wanted to honor the man of God and make him comfortable.

While maybe not to this magnitude, what can you and I do to honor those God has placed in lives to fill leadership roles?  How can we be a blessing to them as they continue to do the Lord's work?

During one visit to Shunem, Elisha was resting in his room; he sent his servant Gehazi to get the woman.  He asked her, "what can we do for you?"  He volunteered to put in a good word for her with the king or commander of the army.  She denied his offer because she was a wealthy woman and did not need that.  I imagine the woman thought silently to herself, 'I don't need anything from people; only God can fix my need.'

Elisha was not satisfied with her reply so later he asked Gehazi, 'what can we do for her?'  Gehazi said, 'she does not have a son and her husband is an old man.'  That got me thinking, when asked what she needed, why didn't she scream out, I want to have a son!

Have you ever had a need so great that you knew no one but God could fix it?  After years and years of wanting a son she probably no longer thought it was possible.  Perhaps, the long wait had caused her to give up hope.  Think about the heart of this woman;  she still wanted to serve God through this man even when she did not have the desires of her heart fulfilled.

Elisha calls her back into the room after his conversation with Gehazi and says, 'next year at this time you will be holding a son in your arms!' (vs. 16)  She cried out please don't get my hopes up!  The fact of the matter was that after her faithfulness and obedience to God and the honor she had shown to His servant, it was time for her to be blessed!  God sees every gesture of goodness.  Remain faithful to God, honor His anointed ones, and soon someone will be asking, 'what can we do for her?'  Let Him heal your soul!

To check out more from Shayla, visit www.ShaylaHilton.com.

Your Sister in Christ,

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, we just want to thank you for always being available to us.  Help us to remain faithful even when it is hard.  Please bless us as we bless those you have anointed and appointed.  In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.
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