29. Elisha said to Gehazi, "Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy's face." 30. But the child's mother said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So he got up and followed her. 31. Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy's face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, "The boy has not awakened."
Elisha was told of the boy’s death. God was not done showing His glory and power. There would be nothing wrong to accept the boy had died, but trusting faith does something. It looks to God not only in grief to support and sustain, but also in hope to restore and provide.
Elisha sent his servant, Gehazi to the boy trusting in the power of God. Surely the staff was not magical. We know that. We have to be very sure we do not idolize the tools used. There was no power in the staff. We are also aware that the servant didn't have any power. Maybe it was the double portion of Elijah’s spirit that fell on Elisha and not anyone else. God wanted to use Elisha and Gehazi as the instruments chosen for God’s power.
I do get upset with all the religious relics sold, touched, and displayed in religious stores, or in the Holy Land. I know there are cheats selling blessed trinkets and statues to get answer to their prayers. I’m ashamed of ministers on TV going through various ways to get people to send them money.
Nothing happened through Gehazi, even though he was obedient to the commands of his master. What was God trying to teach? Elisha could have been discouraged and questioned why God didn't answer according to his action. Trust involves perseverance. The woman wasn't going to leave Elisha because she believed God’s presence and power was with the prophet. As surely as God is alive, she will trust, and that was a faith that sought to keep holding to hope.
The battle is determined, not to the outraged, but to the committed - not to those who are merely dramatic. It is to those who have trusting faith. A not-giving-up-on-God faith, a believing, obeying faith and if something isn't working the way we think it should, a praying, trusting, keeping at it faith.
This sickness and death was a spiritual battle in my opinion. It was Satan seeking to attack the miracle of God to cause the faith of the woman to turn from God. The works of man, even pious and well-meaning men, were not going to change anything around. This kind needed the special intervention from God. Elisha represents, not just God’s servant, but the touch from God Himself.
Application: Keep trusting, not in our abilities or even in our piety, but perseveres trials by praying and waiting for the hand of God to move according to His good will.
Prayer: I trust You Lord, for Your mercies never fail me. I will sing of the goodness of God. Increase my faith.
