SERVANTHOOD, Prayer & Fasting, Day 10

One day Elisha went to the town of Shunem. A wealthy woman lived there, and she urged him to come to her home for a meal. After that, whenever he passed that way, he would stop there for something to eat. (2 Kings 4:8 NLT)

In this wonderful story of the Shunammite woman, we find important traits that we should have active if we want to access the types of blessings that were in her life. These blessings and miracles occurred strictly because she put herself in the role of a SERVANT.

The first thing we notice about this woman is that she was wealthy. The King James Version uses the phrase, "great woman," to mean she was above average, not poor in material or financial means. Its interesting to note that the scripture takes a rare turn from its usual manner of approaching gender and does not describe this Shunammite as, "the wife of a wealthy man." I am not a feminist, nor do I seek to step out of my God ordained role of female-under-authority. But I point this out because when the scripture bypasses its pattern, we should figure out why.

I believe it's because her behavior of SERVICE put her in the dimension we find in the New Testament; "There is neither male nor female, Jew or Greek, bond or free..." Of COURSE genders, nationalities, and other roles exist. But when it comes to WHO God is limited to use, there is NOTHING of our societies' culture, traditional rules, or mindset of upbringing that limits who God will use in any role that we choose to SERVE in.

I think it was likely because of this woman's fearlessness, because of her initiative and drive, because she was a hard working, Proverbs31-woman that their family was blessed to this degree in the first place. I believe that's why scripture gave her the prominence. She was this story's writer, therefore she got her name on the cover. However, since that's an imaginative, "I think..." Let's look at what I KNOW.

I KNOW that the principle of, "if you're faithful with that which is little, he'll make you ruler over much," is very visible in her behavior.

Her first action as a SERVANT was to invite the man of God  into her home for a meal. Then he came for more and more meals. She didn't have a guest room to offer him. She offered him what she DID have. (It is in this that we glimpse her "get 'er done" nature.) Remember, she was a wealthy woman who had servants of her own. She chose to be a SERVANT to Elisha. She chose to use her means to SERVE him.

She said to her husband, “I am sure this man who stops in from time to time is a holy man of God. Let’s build a small room for him on the roof and furnish it with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Then he will have a place to stay whenever he comes by.” (2 Kings 4:9, 10 NLT)

This Shunammite woman went to the next step and altered her home for the purpose of serving the man of God. We see the wisdom she employed by taking this relationship step-by-step, and we see the level of commitment to SERVANTHOOD progressing as well. First, it was just the time and expense of a meal when he was passing through. But after that meal was over, she still had her home in its state of privacy. During the "meal only stage," her level of involvement was a few hours periodically. But a GUEST ROOM?!

Have you ever been in a situation where guests were involved? I have my entire life, and it's never easy! The way you dress is altered, your sleep habits are altered, the workload before and after their arrival is increased, the expense is increased, etc. All of these things and more wear on your mind, body and emotions. It doesn't matter how much you love and enjoy them, "Glad to see 'em come, glad to see 'em go" is REALITY!

But we find this wealthy woman going to this next level of service anyway. This was a level of service that went beyond a blow-up mattress. There was intense labor and a lot of expense in going to this level of SERVANTHOOD.

When you read the rest of 2Kings chapter 4, you find the extended blessings that came to her for her service. She was blessed with a son. When the son had an unexpected health problem and died, God brought him back to life by the hand of this man she chose to serve.

Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other place, for the Lord has called for a famine on Israel that will last for seven years.” So the woman did as the man of God instructed. She took her family and settled in the land of the Philistines for seven years. (2 Kings 8:1, 2 NLT)

Because she placed herself in the position to SERVE Elisha, when the man of God heard "inside info" from Jehovah, she ALSO heard. This woman might not have been "super spiritual" in the way Elisha was, she wasn't called to the same giftings, nor to hold the same role. But because she SERVED him, she knew what he knew. Servants ALWAYS know more than non-servants. This information saved her and her family's life.

After the famine ended she returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to see the king about getting back her house and land. And Gehazi was telling the king about the time Elisha had brought a boy back to life. At that very moment, the mother of the boy walked in to make her appeal to the king about her house and land. “Look, my lord the king!” Gehazi exclaimed. “Here is the woman now, and this is her son—the very one Elisha brought back to life!” “Is this true?” the king asked her. And she told him the story. So he directed one of his officials to see that everything she had lost was restored to her, including the value of any crops that had been harvested during her absence. (2 Kings 8:3, 5, 6 NLT)

Did you read that recovery?! Wow! "Including the value of any crops that had been harvested during her absence!" All of this is tied directly to her choosing to, and putting herself in the position to be a SERVANT.

Take note, all we know of her life are these highlights in scripture. We don't know the hours involved. We don't know when she had aches and pains. We don't know how stressful this made balancing the budget. We don't know anything about her emotions. (She was a WOMAN. Therefore she had em!) And when she left her beloved home for seven years, (SEVEN YEARS!!) we don't know how good, bad, or ugly that situation was for her.

Being a SERVANT doesn't mean your life will be perfect. But it means when perfection comes to the served, you'll be the first to partake!

MEDITATE, Prayer & Fasting, Day 5

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalms 1:1-3 NLT)

In the last year I have become infatuated with the idea that I can be, and should be as a spiritual tree. I have an entire series of "tree scriptures" that I've found, and claim their attributes in prayer.

In looking at Psalms 1:3, I'm all about wanting to be like the tree described here; planted along a riverbank, bearing fruit, leaves that are green and do not wither, and prospering! Who wouldn't want this as a description of their life?!

But as with all things of any value, purposeful action is what brings quality and value. So we must ask ourselves, "What brought about these results?"

The full description is in verses 1 and 2. But I want to focus on "meditation."

We tend to be really good at loving the Bible and at following its regulations to the detail, but how often do we MEDITATE on it?

Meditate
1. (intr; foll by on or upon) to think about something deeply
2. (intr) to reflect deeply on spiritual matters, esp as a religious act
3. (tr) to plan, consider, or think of doing (something)

MEDITATION, and indeed all things of the spirit, contend with the same competition, our busy lifestyle. We have some anti-spiritual habits due to our society. We're a very electronic, fast-paced society. And I'm going to be the last person who is against our current technologies. I am writing this devotional on my iPad. Every scripture I've researched and used has not been from a thousand pound concordance like my grandfather would have used, nor from a Bible with paper pages; it's been 100%, entirely of digital means. So, because we actually have to WORK to detach from the tangible, instantaneous, physical realm... Relax and clear our hurried thinking from our lists, our troubles, our heartaches... In efforts to help people open up their spirit to God, people have come up with "meditation techniques." But they're not necessary. They are simply devised methods and means to help us unplug and chill enough for our minds to think on HIS thoughts.

Meditation is NOT an invention of the Buddhists, Yogis, or the New Age thinkers. The earliest meditation we have on record is in scripture, and it's with Isaac, Abraham's son.

One evening as he was walking and meditating in the fields, he looked up and saw the camels coming. (Genesis 24:63 NLT)

We'll talk about HOW to meditate later. Let's first look at examples of WHAT the scripture shows we should meditate on.

But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I [MEDITATE] about your mighty works. (Psalms 77:11, 12 NLT)

We should MEDITATE on His works of the past. From His wonderful, miraculous deeds found in ancient scripture, to the drug addict delivered, or the financial blessing of this past week, allow your thoughts to replay those events. Involve your imagination in the color of the sky when God provided the ram in the bush for Abraham, or the look of astonishment on their faces when God closed that Red Sea over the Egyptian army! PONDER the glories of these events. REMEMBER your own events. RECALL his mighty acts!

I will study your commandments and reflect [MEDITATE] on your ways. (Psalms 119:15 NLT)

After study, either on our own, or after a service where a minister has taught, or after a Bible study where friends have been studying the Word together; MEDITATE on God's ways. Think about HIS preferences. We don't need to understand WHY he prefers things a certain way, but we need to comprehend that he does, indeed, prefer some things differently than we thought was necessary. We should REFLECT on what we've learned.

May all my thoughts [MEDITATIONS] be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. (Psalms 104:34 NLT)

2 Corinthians 10:5 is another scripture that talks about something we do with our mind; how we use our imaginations. The Bible says to cast down every imagination that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Our imagination starts MEDITATING on how things  could go awry, how things could so easily fall apart...

Before we know it, we've snowballed into scenarios that are contrary to the KNOWLEDGE of God!

So we must purposefully make our thoughts, our MEDITATIONS, pleasing to him. If our imagination takes us anywhere, let it take us to the most amazing, victorious plan that God is so famous for! He's the only REAL superhero in existence, and he's pretty amazing!!

Ok... So I said we'd get to HOW to meditate, so here we go...
I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done. I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Interlude (Psalms 143:5, 6 NLT)

Meditation is akin to Outback Steakhouse's motto; "No rules. Just right."

There are various people, various groups who have come up with tricks that have helped them become better at MEDITATING, but just because they have an audience does not mean their routine is the ONLY way.

In Psalms, we see David connecting MEDITATION to "remembering, pondering, & lifting his hands."
Remembering; thinking of his past works.
Pondering; present instruction or learning of God.

Then we see David's body physically involved in or around his MEDITATION when we read that he lifted his hands. When we read of Isaac's MEDITATION, we saw that he was walking.

The key to proper MEDITATION is no different than what Christians have been seeking to do since our salvation; that is to detach from the world around us, and deliberately put our thinking in line with God's.

That may include walking, raised hands, standing, kneeling, or sitting. Some may rock back and forth while they MEDITATE on the things we've described earlier, others may lay prostrate on the floor. Your MEDITATION may even involve some "outside helps" like a blindfold if you're easily distracted, or music, or headphones with nature sounds if you need to drown out other sounds that are distracting.

I MEDITATE every day, but I could just as easily say, "I pray every day." And, actually, that is exactly what I usually say simply because the church culture is accustomed to MEDITATION being associated with New Age, or a Buddhist practice. But I'm an Apostolic, Penteocstal through and through. And because I know how helpful it's been to me to purposefully add deep, silent meditation to my devotion, I want to describe to you what my MEDITATION is like.  

I usually start out sitting on the floor, thinking about the goodness of God... Perhaps a question will come to me, or a concern... And so I'll bring those thoughts around to faith and believing that God is working on my behalf. I'll usually end up turned around in a fetal position crying before the Lord. Then my meditation and prayer (because I ALWAYS end up talking to God about whoever and whatever I'm thinking about) will turn into a standing (and sometimes dancing) praise and thanksgiving over what I KNOW he's already doing and going to do. Then I'll blow my nose. Sit back upright. Read another passage of scripture. And the whole process is started all over again!

MEDITATION: No rules. Just right.
And now Nike is entering my thought: JUST DO IT!

P.S. God MEDITATES too! Here's what he MEDITATES about:
How precious are your thoughts [MEDITATIONS] about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! (Psalms 139:17 NLT)

Thanks to Lisa Velie for editing!

Devotion; How To Allow God To Work

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Have a great day, muh peeps!

Check out this blog from the past: The Glory of Enduring