Persevere! Be Persistent.

As all parents know, babies and toddlers are definitely not quitters. When they want something badly (usually, things they should not even be touching), their beautiful minds contrive creative ways just to get it. My little Queen B is no exemption. There are innumerable times I find my heart in my throat as she tries to reach and get hold of various objects she took a fancy on. She doesn't mind the obstacles and danger she has to face. She is totally concentrated on achieving her goal.

Like these small children, the Shunammite Woman is a model of persistence and perseverance. Their tenacity is truly admirable. In the third part of my discussion about her, let me share with you why we should persevere and be persistent. 

Persistence – being firm on a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.

Perseverance – steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

Let us continue reading the Shunammite Woman's story in 2 Kings 4: 18-37. 

When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. And he said to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother”. And when he had lifted him and brought him to his mother, the child sat on her lap till noon, and then he died. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door behind him and went out. Then she called to her husband and said, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again”. And he said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath.” She said, “All is well.” Then she saddled the donkey, and she said to her servant, “Urge the animal on; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you”. So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant. “Look, there is the Shunammite. Run at once to meet her and say to her, “Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?” And she answered, “All is well.” And when she came to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came to push her away. But the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for she is in bitter distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me.” Then she said “Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say,”Do not deceive me?” He said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child.” Then the mother of the child said, “As the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore he returned to meet him and told him, “The child has not awakened”.

When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. Then he summoned Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out. (ESV)

The devil and his cohorts will always try to rob us of the blessings of God. In John 10: 10, Jesus said:

“The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.” (ESV)

For a moment here, put yourself in the situation of the Shunammite woman. After years and years of longing for a child, you were given one. The day you found out you are pregnant must have been one of the happiest days of your life. You are ecstatic. And then you gave birth to that beautiful child of yours. All the pain and hardships of your labor must have evaporated once you have that precious baby in your arms. You promise to take care of your baby for the rest of your life. 

I know that feeling because I felt that way when I gave birth to my little Queen B. Despite my grogginess from the anesthesia (I gave birth via Cesarian section, the story of which I shared here ), the memory of our first meeting remains fresh in my mind. 

As your child grows up, you build more memories together. You feed him. You play together. You teach him the alphabet. Sing together. Dance together. And then suddenly, for an unknown reason, your precious child died in your arms. Just like the Shunammite woman, your heart must have broken into thousand pieces. 

Honestly, I don't know what will be my first reaction if that tragedy will ever happen to me. Maybe I'll be stoic and cry in silence. Or maybe I'll throw the greatest tantrum of my life. How about you? What would you do? At her moment of grief, the Shunammite woman proves to be truly astonishing.  Instead of wallowing in despair, the Shunammite woman immediately took action by going as fast as she can to Elisha, the man of God.

Another good point to consider in this part of her story is her immediate reaction in this very difficult situation. Her first response is to turn to God. How about us? When we find ourselves spiritually, physically, and emotionally weak, whom do we turn to first? Is it God? Or He is our last resort.

The Shunammite woman showed persistence and perseverance. She set out to seek Elisha and did not let anyone slow her down or altogether stop her. When she reached Elisha and Elisha decided to send his servant Gehazi first, she said that “As the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will not leave you.” She wasn’t in denial about the situation. She had genuine faith that the man of God and God, Himself, have the answer to her pressing need. She believes that if she persevered, did not waver from her calling to be a mother to an alive child, then God will answer her prayer which is to bring back her son from the dead.

As women of God, we too need to be persistent, to persevere in times of grief, sadness, and difficulties. As followers of Christ, we must also be willing to say the same thing to God, “God, I will not leave you.”

There will come a time or even several times in our life when the devil will attempt to steal something that God has decided to bless us with. For my fellow parents, like the Shunammite woman and her husband, we too are blessed with a child or children and they are also in danger of dying; dying spiritually. Satan will do his best to kill our children spiritually. As parents, we should aim for the salvation of their immortal souls.

C. H. Spurgeon, an English preacher in the 19th century, said: “May you strive for the grandest of all ends, the salvation of immortal souls. Your business is not merely to teach children to read the Bible, not merely to inculcate the duties of morality, nor even to instruct them in the mere letter of the Gospel, but your high calling is to be the means, in the hands of God, of bringing life from heaven to dead souls.”

Of course, it is only God who has the power to save but we can be the hands He uses to do it for our beloved children. It is our duty to introduce Christ and his redemptive work to our children. It is our duty to make disciples out of them. We have to persist, to persevere in this great calling. 

As we persist and persevere, may we keep in mind what the Bible promises in James 1:12:

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (NIV)

Yours, 

Lady