MERCY FOR RESTORATION – Part 2

SATURDAY, 29TH  OCTOBER, 2022.

MERCY FOR RESTORATION – Part 2

MEMORIZE: “And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed a certain officer for her, saying, "Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now."” 2 Kings 8:6.

SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Kings 8:1-6.

“1 Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, "Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years." 2 So the woman arose and did according to the saying of the man of God, and she went with her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years. 3 It came to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went to make an appeal to the king for her house and for her land.  4 Then the king talked with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, "Tell me, please, all the great things Elisha has done." 5 Now it happened, as he was telling the king how he had restored the dead to life, that there was the woman whose son he had restored to life, appealing to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, "My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life." 6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed a certain officer for her, saying, "Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now."”

EXPOSITION:

In our Scripture reading today, we see mercy for restoration at work in favour of a Shunamite woman. This woman loved God with whole of her heart and was full of hospitality. In her kindness to the men of God, she built an apartment for prophet Elisha for him to lodge whenever he went to the mountain. All these her kindness attracted God’s favour to her and her family. As God counted the hospitability of Abraham as a cost for liberating his barrenness, so it was for this honourable woman of Shunem.

SOME OF THE WAYS MERCY SPOKE FOR HER: 2 Kings 4:8-34; 8:1-6.

1. Her barrenness was taken away as God blessed her with a son according to the decree of prophet Elisha.

2. Years later, her son died but God used prophet Elisha to raise him back to life. 

3. Elisha delivered God’s message to her that famine is coming to ravage the land, she should go to anywhere of her choice to sojourn.

4. She left her house and farm land behind; these were taken over by others who are not her family members.

5. At her return, she saw her properties been taken over by strangers and she cried to the king.  The king commanded that all her properties be restored back to her with its monetary value for those seven years – "Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now." 2 Kings 8:6. This is what I called total restoration through God’s mercy. 

Your act of kindness can bring you greater mercy in return. It is written, “With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless.” Psalm 18:25. What have you lost to the enemies? Discover yourself and what you have lost, then cry to God while it is called today. As you cry unto God in prayer, may he answer you and cause you to recover all in Jesus name. It is written, "…because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation." Psalm 91:14-16.

PRAYER POINT: Lord Jesus, I call for your mercy to bring me total recovery of all I have lost to the enemies today in Jesus name.

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DAILY BIBLE READING IN A YEAR –  Luke 10-12.