“Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, ‘Arise, and depart with your household, and sojourn wherever you can, for the Lord has called for a famine, and it will come upon the land for seven years.’ So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God. She went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. At the end of the seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to appeal to the king for her house and her land. Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, ‘Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.’ And while he was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. And Gehazi said, ‘My lord, O king, here is the woman, and here is her son whom Elisha restored to life.’ And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, ‘Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.'” 2 Kings 8:1-6
“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” 2 Peter 3:8
The passing of time accounted for little in this story, though we know the dozens of months of famine were full of events, emotions, and meaning. Perhaps the woman’s old husband had died and she led her family alone. Though she sojourned in a strange land, hopeful expectation seems not to have waned but actually to have sustained her with the passage of miles and time. She knew firsthand what God could do. (2 Kings 4:8-37)
What is seen is the watchful eye of the supernatural God over His own and all that belonged to her. Time has no boundaries or hesitancies with Him. He is intent and able, with a flourish of generosity and grace, to return to His children what is seemingly lost forever. That’s what a Redeemer does.
Arise, and depart are jarring words that test obedience and resolve. There is no guarantee of Now return, thus the challenge to faith to take the first step on a journey of unknown passage. Yet, the space between leaving and the end of seven years is as nothing to the Redeemer who’s accomplishing His intent. The sovereign One orders dates and moments, and orchestrates who’s in office and every ‘chance’ conversation. All culminated in a flourish of amazing grace toward the one who had so generously supplied for His prophet. He knew her heart, her gift, and now her need, and met her in an encounter memorializing His Lordship of all.
Have we been commanded to leave something familiar to do something new, without timetable or promise of provision? Can we go forth believing God’s character, ability, and faithfulness? Will we trust His redemptive control of purpose and years? (Malachi 3:10; Ephesians 3:20-21)
Lord, may I expect Your grace and glorify You in every test.
As the rain and snow 