In the fourth chapter of second book of Kings, we find a remarkable story. A great woman had seen Elisha pass by her house many times on various missions. She noticed his journeys and spoke to her husband of him. "Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither" (2 Kings 4:10)
The woman in not recorded to have had any direct contact with Elisha up until that point, and even after the chamber is prepared she still never seeks out an audience with this great man of God. However, in the course of things, Elisha speaks to his servant concerning her and instructs him to bring her before him. "And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people." (2 Kings 4:13)
Remarkable. In a fallen world, where lust for power has been a motivating factor since the Garden of Eden, here is a woman that refuses prestige and power when it is offered. How many of us, if we had been in that same situation would have assumed it was "God's will" for us to accept his offer? We might have blindly accepted that God meant for us to be powerful and famous because in front of us stood a great man of God offering us just that.
Yet, this woman did not think in those terms. She was content in her place and understood that it was only an offer, not a command. I believe this is where many of us take a wrong turn in our lives. Something comes along that seems "perfect" or we receive an offer that is incredible and we assume that it is God's direction for our lives. Yet, many times, God is only offering us things. He is saying, "Is this really something that you want? It is what you desire for your life?"
Like the Bible records for the woman, our faithful service will be rewarded. It is a fixed pattern in God's creation that you will reap what you sow. We are promised this. If good seed is sown in our lives, we will reap a good reward.
So, as the blessings of God are offered, there is a temptation to jump at the first thing we see. But this does not need to be the case. We need to have the understanding that like Solomon, we have options. He was offered wealth, power and all the things that most kings desire, yet Solomon chose wisdom. Wisdom was never mentioned directly by God as an option, but again Solomon had the understanding that his options were opened.
The woman is not recorded to have given Elisha an answer other than "I dwell among mine own people." She expected nothing for her gift, but God had other plans. Her time of blessing had come, and God's pattern was again establishing itself. Elisha's servant noticed that she had no son, and her husband was old. Though it had never been mentioned by her directly, God knew what her heart had longed for all this time.
The woman would have a son. But notice that this was not the first gift offered, even though God, in his ultimate wisdom, knew this all along, he waited until she refused the gifts that many would have found themselves unable to refuse. Had she chosen to be spoken of to the king, it would have stopped there. Her moment of fame would have come and gone, the riches she obtained would have lasted no longer than her life span and she would have remained barren and unfulfilled. But instead she held on and received the gift of a legacy.
I believe our lives all follow this pattern. Like the woman we have our chances to serve God. In some way and at some time, we will have the opportunity to bless the Lord. If we take these opportunities our time of blessing will come.
Let us remember that every "good" thing that is offered, may not be the best thing we can get. Don't give up and assume that everything little thing that comes along is God's will. Hold on for the good stuff. Be faithful even when there is that lapse between your service and your reward. God will bless us, his promise of that will not fail. Be strong. |
