May You Get What You Didn’t Pray For!

2 Kings 4:16
“About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”
“No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!”

Shunem was a small village under the control of the tribe of Issachar. Shunem was not known for much. It is where the Philistines camped before fighting King Saul, 1 Samuel 28:4. Shunem had men and women, but some women from Shunem stood out in scripture and are now the main identity of Shunem. Abishag, 1 Kings 1:3, was born in Shunem. Abishag was the beautiful lady who comforted King David in his dying days by making sure he was warm, 1 Kings 1:1-4. The Song of Songs is about either Abishag or another beautiful woman from Shunem, Song of Songs 6:13.

Our focus today is on another woman from Shunem who treated prophet Elisha very kindly. The Shunammite woman warmly welcomed Elisha and his servant to her house. She convinced her husband to build a furnished room for Elisha and his servant. Whenever Elisha passed by he had a guaranteed place of abode. The Shunammite woman was an embodiment of hospitality to God’s servant.

Elisha felt indebted to this woman. He asked her what she wanted to be done as a return favor and she said she did not need any favor as payment for her kindness to Elisha and his servant. Elisha inquired if she needed connections and help from the king or the Army commander, 2 Kings 4:13. The woman was not kind to Elisha in the hope of getting something in return. She was kind because it is good to be kind and that was enough for her. Shouldn’t we be like this woman from Shunem? Helping and serving people without expecting anything back at all.

Elisha wasn’t satisfied and he tasked his servant to investigate what the woman’s greatest need was. Gehazi the servant to Elisha came back with an answer that, the woman had two problems, first, she didn’t have a child, and secondly, her husband was old 2 Kings 4:14. Immediately Elisha asked for the Shunammite woman and told her the words in our key text today. Elisha told her that at the same time next year she will have a child.

This woman didn’t ask for a child from Elisha. This woman was comfortable and contented with her wealth, marriage, and childless life. She had prayed for too long and had accepted God’s will that she can’t have a child. She was at peace with herself. When Elisha told her that she will have a child, she pleaded to be left alone at her peaceful spot. She didn’t want her hopes aroused again. She may have had her hopes aroused by doctors and prayer warriors and then nothing followed all the hullabaloo. She pleads to be left at peace. She was clear to Elisha that this is not her current prayer request!

God answered the prayer the Shunammite woman didn’t pray. God gave her a child she no longer wanted. God gave a pregnancy she didn’t pray for. God gave what she didn’t ask from God. God is sovereign and He is not limited to acting according to your prayers. God does much more in our favor than we ever pray for. Even when we forget to pray, God still provides all the essentials we should have prayed for.

It is easy to think that your life is sustained by the power of your prayer. What a lie! You don’t even pray for everything you need. God in His kindness provides you with much more than you ever ask for. If God totally depended on what we pray for to run our lives, we would be in a crisis. We thank God that our prayers are not the only basis of His operations in our life.

May God provide for you and me what we didn’t pray for, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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