Scripture (below): 2 Kings 8:1-6
This devotional is based around a Shunamite lady who had been greatly blessed by Elisha’s ministry. Not only was she blessed with the miracle of a child (2 Kings 4:17), but later, the now grown up son, was raised from the dead through God’s power (2 Kings 8:1).
On Elisha’s instructions thereafter, she had left her home and gone to Philistine territory to avoid a 7 year famine (8:1-2). When the famine was over, she returned home, only to find to her dismay that the house and land no longer belonged to her. It is possible that the land had either been seized by the Government, or been encroached on.
In desperation, this lady (with her son), went to the King, hoping for small mercies. Little did she realize that God had prepared a ‘Restoration Package’ for her! It so happened that the King was in animated conversation with Elisha’s servant Gehazi at that very moment regarding Elisha’s powerful ministry, and quite amazingly, Gehazi was sharing the story of how God had raised the lady’s son from the dead (2 Kings 8:3-5). Imagine their surprise when she appeared before them at that exact time!
The shocked King then asked the lady whether the story was true and she affirmed it (2 Kings 8:6). The end result was that she not only got her house and land back, but even the income from the land for the past 7 years! I wonder whether any bank has that kind of payback scheme!
Today, especially after the pandemic, many people are counting their losses and searching for restoration in their lives. If that is you, trust God to complete His restoration in you and see Him answer in unexpected ways. He is the God of Restoration!
Prayer – Lord, may your restoration be seen in our lives as we trust in Your faithfulness. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!
By Rev. Palitha Jayasooriya
Used by Permission
2 Kings 8:1-6
Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the Lord has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years.” 2 So the woman arose and did according to the saying of the man of God, and she went with her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years.
3 It came to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went to make an appeal to the king for her house and for her land. 4 Then the king talked with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Tell me, please, all the great things Elisha has done.” 5 Now it happened, as he was telling the king how he had restored the dead to life, that there was the woman whose son he had restored to life, appealing to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” 6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him.
So the king appointed a certain officer for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now.”