2 Kings 4:14-19: a reflection

14He said, “What then is to be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Most certainly she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the door. 16He said, “At this season next year, you will embrace a son.” She said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your servant.” 17The woman conceived, and bore a son at that season when the time came around, as Elisha had said to her. 18When the child was grown, one day he went out to his father to the reapers. 19He said to his father, “My head! My head!” He said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.”

The Shunammite woman who had shown hospitality to Elisha had no son, and her husband was old; by any natural reckoning, the hope of a child was past. Yet Elisha, moved to bless her, promises: At this season next year, you will embrace a son. She can hardly believe it, protesting, do not lie to your servant; the promise seemed beyond hope. But it came true: the woman conceived, and bore a son at that season. God gave her what was beyond natural hope, a son when the possibility seemed gone, showing that what is beyond our natural expectation is not beyond God's giving.

Notice that God gave what was beyond natural hope. By every natural reckoning, the Shunammite could not expect a son; her husband was old, the time seemed past. She herself could hardly believe the promise, protesting that it seemed too good to be true. But God gave her the son anyway, beyond what nature made possible, beyond what she dared hope. What was beyond her natural expectation was not beyond God's giving; he gave what she had stopped hoping for. The gift came not from natural possibility but from God, who gives beyond what nature and our expectations allow. God's giving is not limited to what we naturally expect; he gave a son where hope had seemed gone.

That is worth taking to heart, for God can give what is beyond our natural hope, not limited by our expectations. We can conclude that certain things are beyond hope, impossible by any natural reckoning, and stop expecting them; but God gave the Shunammite a son beyond natural possibility, beyond what she dared hope. God's giving is not limited to what we naturally expect; he can give beyond our hope. When something seems beyond hope by every natural reckoning, do not conclude it is beyond God's giving; he gave the Shunammite a son when hope had seemed gone. Trust that God can give what is beyond your natural hope, not limited by your expectations, as he gave the Shunammite a son when her husband was old and hope seemed past; for God's giving is not confined to what we naturally expect, and he can give beyond our hope what nature would deny, so that we need not limit him to our own expectations.

Lord, the Shunammite woman who had shown hospitality to Elisha had no son, and her husband was old; by any natural reckoning, the hope of a child was past. Yet Elisha, moved to bless her, promises: at this season next year, you will embrace a son. She can hardly believe it, protesting, do not lie to your servant; the promise seemed beyond hope. But it came true: the woman conceived, and bore a son at that season. You gave her what was beyond natural hope, showing that what is beyond our natural expectation is not beyond your giving. Show me that you gave what was beyond natural hope. By every natural reckoning, the Shunammite could not expect a son; her husband was old, the time seemed past. She herself could hardly believe the promise. But you gave her the son anyway, beyond what nature made possible, beyond what she dared hope. What was beyond her natural expectation was not beyond your giving; you gave what she had stopped hoping for. Your giving is not limited to what we naturally expect. Take that to my heart, for you can give what is beyond my natural hope, not limited by my expectations. I can conclude that certain things are beyond hope, impossible by any natural reckoning, and stop expecting them; but you gave the Shunammite a son beyond natural possibility. Your giving is not limited to what I naturally expect. When something seems beyond hope by every natural reckoning, keep me from concluding it is beyond your giving; you gave the Shunammite a son when hope had seemed gone, Lord. Help me trust that you can give what is beyond my natural hope, not limited by my expectations, and not to confine you to my own expectations.