2 Kings 4:9-17 NKJV
[9] And she said to her husband, “Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.
[10] Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.”
[11] And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there.
[12] Then he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him.
[13] And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?'” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.”
[14] So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.”
[15] So he said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
[16] Then he said, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!”
[17] But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.
This is the story from the beginning. Elisha, the Prophet came to the city of Shunem to do his ministrations. Then, as he was walking pass the front of the house of a woman, she runs to him and persuaded him to turn inside and eat some food. So, Elisha went inside the house with his servant, and ate some food and got refreshed.
From that moment on, whenever Elisha came to the city for some ministrations, he would branch into the house to eat and refresh before moving on again.
Then, the woman discerned that they needed to do more for the Man of God, so he convinced her husband to built a Guest room for the Prophet on top of their house. And they furnished the room with table, chairs, bed and lamp stand. they made the room comfortable for the Man of God, so he didn’t need to leave stay elsewhere anymore whenever he came to the city of Shunem.
The Prophet entered his new room one evening, after his dinner, and got inspired by the unfettered hospitality of the elderly couple. He called the woman, to know what he could do for them, but the woman wanted nothing for her hospitality, she was just serving the Lord with her hospitality.
She wanted nothing in return. But when the Prophet knew she had no child, she called her and pronounced upon her a Blessing of a Child in a Yer’s time:
“About this time next year you shall embrace a son.”
2 Kings 4:17
“But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.”
This is very similar to the story of how ABRAHAM got the promise of the conception and birth of Isaac.
Genesis 18:3-5 NKJV
[3] and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.
[4] Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
[5] And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “Do as you have said.”
Abraham had stood up from under the tree he was sitting and ran to the three visitors and persuaded them to come to his tent and refresh themselves. While the strange Ministers were eating the food that had quickly been prepared for them by Sarah, they opened up and made a Heavenly Pronouncement on the conception and birth of Isaac.
That utterance of Visitors, put a stop to several years of waiting of Abraham.
The Utterance of Elisha put a stop to the several years of Barrenness of the Shunemite Woman.
The Shunemite Woman and her husband kept doing good to the man of God without expecting any thing in return from the Prophet.
BUT THE LORD OPENED THE MOUTH OF THE PROPHET, AND MADE HIM DECLARE A MANDATE FROM HEAVEN:
“”About this time next year you shall embrace a son.”
WAS THAT NOT WHAT THE ANGELIC VISITOR WHOM ABRAHAM TOOK CARE OF SAID AFTER EATING THE FOOD PREPARED BY SARAH?
Genesis 18:14 NKJV
“….At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
The Shunemite Woman was doing Good and taking care of the Prophet of God, when the Moment of her Answer to her long-term prayers came.
Abraham and Sarah served the Angelic Visitors with delicious meal when they opened their mouth and Declared the Mandate of Heaven to put an end to their long waiting.
HAVE YOU BEEN WAITING UPON THE LORD A LONG TIME TO RECEIVE AN ANSWER TO A PARTICULAR PRAYER?
YOU HAVE CRIED A LONG TIME IN THE SECRET?
YOU HAVE GROAN IN SECRET A LONG TIME?
YOU HAVE PRAYED AND FASTED FOR A LONG TIME SOLUTION?
DON’T STOP THE GOOD YOU ARE DOING FOR THE LORD?
DON’T STOP OR BE WEARIED OF YOUR CONTINUOUS SERVICE IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.
Are you getting wearied of sowing the Seeds and Giving your Covenant Offerings to the works of God, or to the Missions or Evangelistic Projects, because your acute needs have not been met?
ARE YOU THINKING ALL YOUR GIVING TO THE SERVICE OF THE LORD HAS BEEN IN VAIN?
OR YOU BEGAN TO FEEL THAT GOD DOES NOT SEE YOUR SACRIFICIAL GIVING TO HIS PROJECTS AND MISSIONS AND ASSIGNMENT?
No.
The Moment of Visitation would come upon you in the Service. The Answer to the prayers would come suddenly.
KEEP DOING THE GOOD IN THE HOUSE OF GOD.
KEEP DOING THE SERVICE OF THE LORD.
KEEP SPENDING AND GIVING AND SOWING IN HIS VINEYARD.
Suddenly, Unexpectedly, the Answer would come as in a dream.
1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV
[58] Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
THEREFORE, ONE OF THE SECRETS OF RISING UP GLORIOUSLY IS: ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE GOOD WORK YOU ARE DOING FOR THE LORD.
“May I not be weary of my Service in your Vineyard.”
“Lord Jesus, I receive the Power and Encouragement to keep serving You and Seeding and Sowing into Your vineyard
Source: Evang. Mike Bamiloye
Aphorism CITY 