Elisha And The Shunammite Woman - The Recipient Of Gratitude Series

ELISHA AND THE SHUNAMMITE WOMAN - THE RECIPIENT OF GRATITUDE

SERIES – MESSAGES ON ELISHA – HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY Number 10

INTRODUCTION: Recapping from the last message. Elisha stayed with the childless couple at Shunem on his travels, and it was all of God’s providing.

1. It was the Lord’s provision that he had a place of rest and reflection. The journey was hard with much apostasy and godless kings. His ministry in the northern kingdom was a constant battle with Baal and all forms of idolatry.

2. His room was an oasis, a relief from the battle, and a necessary benefit to him. I think some servants of the Lord try to be stalwarts and keep on keeping on. It is not good. One gets worn out and becomes frazzled, no use in the Lord’s service. Even the Lord rested and that is a great example to us.

3. This woman’s conviction to provide a room, was of the Lord. God moves people to provide in ways God’s servants don’t contemplate. We realise a lot through hindsight when we can understand how the Lord has led. In this life we often don’t see the Lord’s provisions to us for they are like treats along the way and we don’t see the significance of them at the time. I think it would be a huge surprise for us if we could see the way the Lord really looks after us. Of course if we are out of His will, then I don’t know just how much we can expect. Even so, I think He provides for His wayward child with the means of turning the backslidden one back to Him. Think of being lost in the bush by turning off the path as Pilgrim did in Pilgrim’s progress, and then found himself in trouble. One dilemma in being lost is that you don’t know in which direction to go unless you get even further away. In our waywardness, there are barbed wire fences to turn us to a certain direction, and a creek to lead us in a certain way. God is prompting his wayward one back to His direction. He is gracious like that and is not willing for His child to be stubborn and unfruitful. If you are one who is walking astray today, then the Lord is not happy with your path. Remember the times of fellowship you had, and return to the Lord. Don’t delay but do it today.

(A). THE MARK OF GRATITUDE. Gratitude! It is a quality that emanates from God Himself. The New Testament lists unthankfulness (KJV), or ungratefulness as being one of the sins particularly evident in the last days. It is found in this verse - 2Timothy 3 v 2 [[for men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, etc.]] The Lord graciously healed 10 men with leprosy on a certain day. I want to read that account - Luke 17 v 12 [[and as He entered a certain village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him, Luke 17:13 and they raised their voices saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Luke 17:14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests,” and it came about that as they were going, they were cleansed. Luke 17:15 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, Luke 17:16 and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him, and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:17 Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed, but the nine - where are they? Luke 17:18 Was no one found who turned back to give glory to God except this foreigner?” Luke 17:19 He said to him, “Rise, and go your way. Your faith has made you well.”]]

You will note at the initial encounter that there were 10 who pleaded the mercy of God, even calling on Jesus using the term “Master” which is Lord. They were all cleansed, but how many returned to thank the Lord who had saved them from a miserable life and an early death? One only.

Are we any different? Listen to what Paul wrote. Colossians 3 v 15 [[Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body, and be thankful. Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Col 3:17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.]] How many Christians truly obey those commands? O, yes, lip service is paid on Sunday morning but how many issue forth thankfulness out of a grateful heart? Some in public do it orally, but everyone should be in that state in their spirits. It is all part and parcel of our Christian confession. We live in an age of entitlement. People expect things, free handouts from the Government and show no thankfulness for what they have received. Don’t let Christians be named among the expectant entitled of the church.