Do Not Bury The Dead Yet, Part 2of2, Evans Olang

2Kings 4:8-36, “30 But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her”

In the midst of her loss and pain, she gathered courage and strength to do something about her situation. vs., “21 she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out, 22 Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.”

Such confidence had she of God’s goodness that she was ready to believe that He would restore what He had now taken away. O woman, great is thy faith! He that gave life would not disappoint. The sorrowful mother begged leave of her husband to go to the prophet at once. There was a drive, a passion, a burden for her once upon a time living child. Her faith perhaps was driven by the testimony of how Elijah raised the widow of Zarephath’s son (1Kings 17) who was laid on his bed, of which she may have heard. The Zarephath’s son was raised in Elijah’s room and since the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha, she had faith to believe that a miracle that happened before could happen to her too. So she took the boy put him in Elisha’s room and journeyed to find him while concealing his death from her husband and family, and to prevent grief, and that they might not bury him until she returned.

She had faith and that faith was demonstrated in her action. Those who would convey spiritual life to dead souls must feel deeply for their case, and labor fervently in prayer for them especially for their children. Though parents, ministers cannot give Divine life to children, they must use every means, with as much earnestness as if they could do so.

Nothing was going to stop her or slow her down. Vs. “25 And so she departed, and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman! 26 Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’” And she answered, “It is well.” It was well that she had found the man of God; and it is well with us when we have found Him who is able to raise our children when we seek Him on their behalf. It is not well only when the miracle happens, it is well when we have done our part. God will do for us what He has done for others, however we have to find what others have done like this woman and engage in that because it builds our faith to believe God.

Despite Elisha sending his servant with his stuff, nothing could change the situation until Elisha came. I love something about this woman, persistence, she says, vs. “30 As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her”. We must continue laboring in prayer persistently until the Lord shows up in the impossible situation. Many have given up and now have a shovel in the hands preparing for the burial of their prodigals. If you believe in resurrection the last thing you would want is prepare for burial.

The rest of the story tells us how Elisha came and raised the boy because of a mother’s faith and persistence. Imagine what would have happened if she did not seek resurrection for her son? She and her family would have buried the boy. Don’t bury the dead yet, why? “By this faith women received their dead raised to life”, Hebrews 11:35. Faith in God activated through prayer does not prepare for funeral, it prepares for resurrection. Therefore put the shovel back, stop pondering on what you could have done better and seek Him for the resurrection for your prodigals. Blessings, Ev

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