We Must Stand Even When We Don't Understand!

Stand: To remain unchanged; to resist

Understand: To comprehend; to realize

We must learn to remain unchanged even when we can’t comprehend what’s going on in our lives. Today, we might be - as a famous songwriter once said - sitting on top of the world today, the next day we might feel like the world is on top of us. That’s when we have to pull from within and remember what the Lord has said and what He has done.

Let’s take a look at the Shunammite woman. Even though life threw her a curb ball, she was still able to take a firm stand.  Let me share with you her story from II Kings 4:8-35. The little Shunammite woman and her husband made a little chamber in their house for Elisha; for she perceived he was a man of God. She wanted to make sure that he, a man of God, would have a place to turn in to whenever he passed through. In return, the man of God wanted to be a blessing to her and he realized the woman and her husband had no children. Elisha told her about a specific season, according to the time of life, that she would embrace a son. And of course, the woman bore a son in the season that Elisha had said to her. When that child was grown, he went to his father and complaining about some pain saying, “my head, my head” and his father told him to go to his mother. He went to her and sat on her knees till noon then he died.

After her son passed, the Shunammite woman went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God. She then shut the door upon him, and went out.  She never told her husband that their son was dead, she simply said, “I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.” He said, “wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor Sabbath.” and she said, “it shall be well.” So she saddled up a donkey and headed out to see the man of God – despite the fact that her son had just died. When the man of God saw her from far off, he sent his servant to ask her, “is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with the child?”

Even though her son had just died and the scripture tells us that her soul was vexed; she took a stand. I’m pretty sure that she didn’t understand what was going on and yet she took a stand. Her response to the servant was “it is well.” If the shoe was on the other foot and you were in her situation, could you answer with a simple, “it is well?” Or would you spend at least the next 5-10 minutes telling the servant all of your woes? Would you be able to stand even when you didn’t understand?

Getting back to our story -- the Bible tells us that Elisha went back to the house where the child was dead and laid on his bed. He went on to shut the door upon them and he prayed unto the Lord. Elisha then laid upon the child, put his mouth on the child’s mouth, his eyes on the child’s eyes and his hands upon the child’s hands. He then stretched himself upon the child and the child’s flesh began to warm. Elisha later repeated this process and wouldn’t you know it - the child sneezed seven times and he opened his eyes!

That Shunammite woman had not asked for this child - he was a gift from God. For him to then die at such a young age had to be difficult for her - you know there was no way that she could understand what had happened to him, but she was able to stand firm and go forward. Let’s let that Shunammite woman stand as an example for us when things happen that we don’t understand.

As we enter into 2014, let’s resolve to take a stand even when we don’t understand what’s happening around us. Pull from deep within, my friends, and trust in the Lord with all you have!

With all that said, let the church say amen... and AMEN!