\'Now faith is"); document.writeln("the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.\'1
"); document.writeln("The prophet"); document.writeln("Elisha traveled from town to town relating the message of God to others and"); document.writeln("performing miracles. During a visit to Shunem, a wealthy woman and her husband"); document.writeln("invited him over to eat. After that, Elisha would stop by anytime he was in"); document.writeln("town, and eventually they made Elisha his own room so that he could stay"); document.writeln("comfortably any time he came by. Elisha was greatly appreciative of the"); document.writeln("kindness this woman and her husband had shown him, so he wanted to return the"); document.writeln("favor. He asked the woman if there was anything he could do for her, but she"); document.writeln("wanted nothing. However, Elisha\'s servant had noticed that this woman had no"); document.writeln("children, and that her husband was older, therefore Elisha informed the woman"); document.writeln("that she would become pregnant, and that is precisely what happened. 2 Kings"); document.writeln("4:16 shows how this was exactly what her heart had been desiring, even if she"); document.writeln("had not verbalized it. Some years later, however, her son died while in her"); document.writeln("arms. Her reaction to his death is what I want to accentuate.
"); document.writeln("Unexpected"); document.writeln("circumstances can cause extreme reactions; however, she didn\'t panic, but"); document.writeln("instead started living out her faith. She laid her son on Elisha\'s bed, told"); document.writeln("her husband that she was going to see Elisha and would be right back, and when"); document.writeln("he asked why now, her response was \'It will be all right\' (v.23). Then again,"); document.writeln("as she approached Elisha, he saw her from afar and sent his servant to ask if"); document.writeln("all is well with her family, and again she replied, \'everything is fine (v.26).\'"); document.writeln("She fell down at Elisha\'s feet and told him what happened, and refused to leave"); document.writeln("until he went back with her. So, they all went back, and ultimately he did"); document.writeln("raise her son from the dead. I encourage you to read 2 Kings 4 to see the"); document.writeln("entire story, but this woman was a true example of faith. From what we can see,"); document.writeln("she never allowed doubt to enter her mind. She was convinced that everything"); document.writeln("would be alright.
"); document.writeln("Miracles may"); document.writeln("look a lot different for us today then they did in Bible days, but God is still"); document.writeln("the same and will do amazing things when we have complete faith and trust in"); document.writeln("Him. He is working in all situations and is faithful to complete His perfect"); document.writeln("plan in us, even through the most difficult circumstances. Can we have the same"); document.writeln("unshakeable faith that the Shunammite woman had and trust God?
"); document.writeln("Suggested"); document.writeln("prayer: Dear God, thank you for being the same yesterday, today, and forever."); document.writeln("Please give me unshakeable faith to trust you in all circumstances, knowing"); document.writeln("that you are in control. I know I can rest in you and that everything will be"); document.writeln("alright. In Jesus\' name, amen.
"); document.writeln("1. "); document.writeln("Hebrews 11:1 (ESV).
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Today\'s"); document.writeln("Encounter was written by: Crystal B.
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This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online.
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