MAKING ROOM FOR GOD
Mothers Day 05.08.16
Text: II Kings 4:8 thru 10
Prayer:
I want us to celebrate Mothers Day by MAKING (more) ROOM FOR GOD.
Sometimes that is not so easy to do. Most moms live very busy lives. Constantly on the go…going to work…going to school …going shopping…going to a meeting…going to visit a friend, relative, or maybe a business appointment. Moms are on the go!
There seems to be very little ROOM in our schedule for God. This morning I would suggest that we need to MAKE ROOM FOR GOD in our lives.
That is what we see in this passage of scripture.
For some, who would read this, this might only be an account of a man of God (named Elisha) visiting the home of a stranger in an unknown town known as Shunem. In fact the Hebrew translation of “Shunem” is just that. “Shunem” means “unknown”.
Great place to call home, huh? If you lived in “Shunem” and you were asked where you lived, you would have to say, “Unknown…uh…I don’t know…”
Someone saw the “Man of God” passing by and invited Him in.
Today I would ask that each of us stop what we are concerned or worried about and begin to MAKE ROOM FOR GOD. Allow the Holy Spirit to simply walk right thru the front door of your home… And to come on in and pay a visit.
Moms - with the dawn of each new day, we all should expect a renewal and a new experience with the Lord. We should make certain that we MAKE ROOM FOR GOD! Amen? This is because…
God often operates in new things – He is creative.
I can assure you that the Lord knows what He is doing.
God wants you to make a place for Him in your home.
That is what godly moms will do. God has priority over mom’s home.
On a holiday weekend, we love to get out and go places, see things, do things, but far more important is when God comes by our house. You and I need to meet with God in our homes.
And moms – this is your responsibility!
I am always amazed with what the Lord is doing. He always surprises me! His blessings are always pure and holy, and the Lord is always a kind and perfect gentlemen with what He does. He won't force Himself into your home or your life. You need to invite Him in.
Moms – MAKE ROOM FOR GOD! God wants to renew your life and to reveal Christ the “the Holy Man of God” to you in ways you cannot imagine. This is what we find in our text this morning. Let’s look closer at this scripture.
Read verse 10. Have you ever noticed how much a Mom will want to move furniture around in a house?
Guys – if you are like me, that sofa looks just fine right where it's sitting, but sometimes Moms love to redecorate. They like to paint the walls... Get a new table and chair. A new lamp to go on the table. Moms love to spruce up the place and make it more inviting.
That is the Shunamite woman in our text. She sensed the presence of God on Elisha:
Elisha
• Was a great man of God.
• Was a type of Christ for you to see in this passage of scriptures.
• Was also modest & humble.
• Genuinely loved & cared for the people who he met.
• Was not the type of man to ever impose on anyone.
• Had made great sacrifices in serving God.
• Was a very hard working man of God.
In another passage of scripture, we can read about how Elisha was in a field plowing with a team of 12 oxen. Can you picture that? Elisha was working very hard, when another man of God named Elijah came to find Elisha. That “Holy Man of God”, Elijah came and threw his mantle of anointing on Elisha (while he was working). And even though Elisha was very busy, Elisha was not too busy to have time for what the Lord had for his life. Amen?
The Bible is full of stories about busy men and women.
Busy Fathers and Busy Mothers…
What I’m trying to say is some of us need to give some careful consideration this morning to MAKING ROOM FOR GOD! You may find that the Lord is really trying to bless your life in a great way, but you don’t have time or enough ROOM in your schedule/life for Him.
This next week, you may find yourself having the busiest week you have had in a long time. And then suddenly God may show up and want you to invite Him in to your busy schedule. I would suggest you find ROOM in your schedule to put God first. This week, put God ahead of everything else going on in your life.
You may say, “I’m a very busy person.”
Be Just like the Shunamite Woman -
The Shunamite woman’s life would never be the same after she (literally) MADE ROOM FOR GOD that day. In our text, we find Elisha being used by God to minister to the Shunammite woman.
This woman lived on the well-traveled (very busy) road that ran between Carmel and Samaria. The Shunamite Woamn was probably a very busy lady. “Notable”
I can imagine the woman watching Elisha as he traveled back and forth doing God’s business.
Each time he would pass by her home, there was the anointing of the Lord that overwhelmed her.
That Shunamite Woman may have been very busy, but somehow God got her attention.
Many women/mothers want to be considered “Notable”, but not all will invite God into their homes.
I would suggest today that the Lord is walking back and forth in front of where you live. Have you sensed that lately with God? Yes, you are very busy with your life.
But You and I have to allow time to MAKE A ROOM FOR GOD to stop in and stay awhile?
In your lifetime God will walk by many times waiting for you to invite Him in….
Every time God passes by, you feel His presence.
You know who He is when He passes through your life.
The presence of God does that for some people.
God usually does that for the people who are hungry for more of Him. Who watch for Him. Who expect Him.
Unfortunately, some folks will purposely ignore God’s presence. The problem is we may know He is near, but don’t always do anything about it.
When we were young and foolish, we may have told ourselves that we will wait until we get older before we MAKE ROOM FOR HIM. We often say,
“Maybe on another day.”
We were having way too much fun to allow ourselves to get serious about spending time with God. There is the night life, the social life. We were far more worried about what our friends may think about us than we are interested in MAKING ROOM FOR GOD.
And then, we got a little older and then we were too busy with raising our families and trying to maintain some sort of a social life. MAKING ROOM FOR GOD becomes a little more difficult with all of the extra curricular activities (that distract us). It’s always something when you are raising your children. You simply do not have enough time in your schedule to MAKE ROOM FOR GOD. Your children are your priority.
The Bible says that the Shunamite woman was a prominent, wealthy, notable, well-to-do woman.
I am sure she didn’t get that way by sitting around with nothing to do. I doubt the Shunamite woman had lots of time on her hands. Nevertheless, she sensed the presence of God pass by her door day after day.
One day, she knew that she had to do something to invite the presence of God to come into her home.
Maybe when she made some fresh bread, she just set it in her window where Elisha could see it.
We need to do whatever it takes to make the presence of God welcome in our homes. Amen?
My friend, God only goes to where He is welcome.
Is He welcome to come by your house? For a visit? To stay, to rest, or to abide in your home?
I love the song, “Welcome Holy Spirit.”
For some people, Elisha may have been just another man walking by, but not for the Shunammite woman. That woman sensed the presence of the Lord each time Elisha passed by.
Likewise, we need to look for and expect God’s presence to come us.
We need to be -
• Looking for the Lord to move in on us.
• Longing for His presence to be near us.
• Ready to invite Him in.
Can you sense the presence of God coming your way?
Do you want God to come your way and visit you?
That Shunammite woman did.
Nothing else mattered to her, but that anointing.
She wanted God to stop and linger with her.
In this passage, I love what the King James Version says,
“…she constrained him to eat bread.” Vs. 8 KJV
Now I can relate to that. I love bread, especially fresh baked bread. When I was growing up in Orlando, we had a huge bread factory that baked bread late at night. Whenever I was coming home I could smell that bread for miles.
I can see Elisha stopping for that bread. And maybe a little butter and a jar of honey.
Oh yeah, Elisha had to stop. He felt welcomed there. And we need to make sure that the Lord will feel welcome here when He passes by. Amen?
We need to compel God to stop by...
We gotta’ make preparations for THE MOVE OF GOD this morning. I am looking forward to the next time the Lord passes by. I want Him to stop and stay awhile.
The Shunammite woman told her husband,
“I perceive that this is an holy man of God…”
Listen. When you sense the real presence of God, it won’t be because of who is behind the pulpit. Or who is praying over you. It won’t be the man. It will be God!
This Shunammite woman knew this was the real thing. She sensed the presence of God. Not just a prophet or man of God. This was God’s presence.
We need to know we are in the presence of the Living God. There is none other we should know & long for than Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the real Holy Man of God.
The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords.
I don’t know about you, but I am here because I am expecting Jesus to show up any minute. Jesus wants to come and visit us this morning.
I am going to be like that Shunammite woman, I want Jesus to be here all of the time. God is going to get all of the attention I can give Him while He is here moving among His people. Let’s make Jesus feel welcome.
Some of us need to take time this week and make a little room for the Lord to visit us.
That Shunammit woman knew that her house was empty without the visitation and presence of God. Amen?
Likewise - Your house is empty this morning without a visitation from the Holy Man, Jesus!
Close:
You may be thinking,
“I’m not sure I have room for God right now. I am not sure I have enough time for God in my life. Maybe later…???”
Listen carefully. God is saying,
“All I need is a little chamber, a little upper room.”
You just take one step at a time and give to Jesus a little corner of your heart. Yes, you may have to move things around a bit. Maybe even knock down a wall that is in the way. Amen?
After the Shunammite woman gave the Holy Man a little room, she then began to give up some of her personal belongings. These were personal items that at one time meant a lot to her. But now everything she owned belonged to God.
Moms – even your furniture belongs to God!
My friend, God will move in your life when you decide it is time you to give up some things. You know what those things are when God passes by.
The Holy Man, Elijah, did not have to tell the Shunamite woman what he needed. She knew what to give Him. She was compelled to give those things up with nothing in return.
Question:
Will you be ready when God passes by where you live? Will you invite Him in to visit?
Will you find time in your busy schedule to MAKE ROOM FOR GOD?
What personal items is it that you have that you know you have to give to God to make Him feel welcome
