Destruction: A Study in 2 KingsSample

What does it say?

Two mothers appealed to Elisha for help. One mother received daily provision, and the other received her son from the dead.

What does it mean?

God used Elisha to meet the needs of two women when despair threatened to overwhelm them. In fear of losing her sons to slavery, the widow sought Elisha’s wisdom and faithfully followed his instructions. God provided for her needs as she acted in faith by gathering the miraculously filled jars. The Shunammite woman, on the other hand, was financially well-off. But like the widow, she was faithful to God. Even while grieving for her son, she believed God could help through Elisha. God chose to reward her faith by raising her son from the dead. God helped both mothers with their immediate needs, and their children saw the power and goodness of God.

How should I respond?

When crisis comes, where do you turn? God does not fulfill our every request, but we can always trust His heart. He sees clearer, further, and more purely than you ever can. As you trust Him, the Lord may miraculously heal and provide, or He may simply give perfect peace throughout the ordeal. Either way, you can trust Him to listen and help when darkness seems to envelop you. Through each circumstance – the small and the great – the Lord works in you to make you more like His Son, the Lord Jesus.