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CALL THIS SHUNAMITE

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JOY SUN



POINT TABLETS

A DEED IN A FORGOTTEN SOIL
THE HIDDEN TEARS OF THE SHUNAMNITE
CALL THIS SHUNAMITE!
THE TONGUE
MERCY
















A DEED IN A FORGOTTEN SOIL





















No soil is forgotten and no seed is lost; this is law of sowing and reaping. Certain seeds die, but that happens due to negligence in tending, which are watering, manuring and weep, which are consonance with the law of continuity or persistence. A third law is that certain seeds grow to fruition, but without benefit to their planters. This law corresponds to those who lack patience in waiting or die without hope (the generations that die in Egypt without the fulfillment of the promise), and leave their produce for others.

When I was a little child, I had an attitude I sit back to chuckle over. I loved the bean plant so much and had it so much as meal and a play object. But beyond that, I loved to plant it. After my encounter with the bean plant, I decided to run to a bush a certain distance away from my vicinity in order to plant it, in the morning. Then by evening, I thought it would have germinated, and despite all the persuasion of my mum, I would insist on going to see. After trying to talk me over about revisiting the farm the same evening, she felt experience was the best teacher, and would let me to myself. I would then race in anticipation to the bush at 4.00pm, the beginning of the evening hours. When I arrived at the farm I would be so expectant that I would rush to the ground where it was planted. But my first surprise which brought tears to my eyes was that it had not sprouted. I would then sorrowfully pull it out, examine it, and drop it again, and with a dropped shoulder, full of disappointment, I would go back sad. I continued with this lifestyle as a child till I was finally convinced that seeds planted in the morning don’t sprout in the evening; in fact certain plant like the coconut would take a much longer time before you would find a fruit on them. I was sad that I couldn’t change nature. When I was a child, I spake as a child…I understood as a child. ICor. 13:

The American Tract Society dictionary defines Shunem as a city of Issachar.It is suggested to be five miles south of Tabor. And is now located at a poor village called Solam in a valley north west of Jezreel. The Phillistines once encamped there in their battle against King Saul, and it was the home of Abishag, David’s nurse. The Holman Christian Standard Bible says it is a town southeast of Mount. Carmel in Isacchar.

GREATNESS WITH WOUNDS
The Bible explains that a great woman lived in this city with her lovely husband. She was great and influential in status, but as far as life was concerned, she had a need; a unique need and one which left her life void; she had no child. Shunem was close to Mt. Carmel where Elisha prayed often and turned out to be a regular route for Elisha and his servant. I was walking by a market one morning in a town when I noticed that almost everyone I met on that market had a deformity (physical or otherwise). If one of the eyes was not bad, the leg would be. If they were fair, there would be a spot on a pronounced angle of the face, or if all were well in their health, they would lack more or be grown up but unmarried. This is satan’s agenda; to let you have some of all heaven affords. It happened to the shunamite. She had wealth, but it meant nothing without a child.

THE FEAR OF GOD

As Elisha’s route, it took one who had the fear of God to think of the welfare of a dedicated God’s representative. Her first move was to get him to have a meal in her home. Those who know how to catch God know that you get Him by feats of kindness.Abraham did the same and had the same result the shunamite had. Anybody that has been kind to God’s representative or who is prone to being kind, buys mercy. The Bible says “for as much as you did it to any of this little ones, you did it to me”, and emphasizes the importance of helping a child of God when it says “give… particularly to those of the house hold of faith.If you give to a saint, you give to God. You get closer to God when you show kindness to his faithful servants, while maintaining the fear of God.
After that event of entertaining Elisha, she then suggested reserving a room in her home specifically as the prophet’s rest point. It would a candle, a table, a stool and regular meal whenever the prophet stopped by. And she was not far from God by this kind gesture. You are not far from God when you are kind. You get more by kindness than by asking. It is a virtue that invites God to and keeps Him around you all the time. No kind deed is forgotten especially if it is done by one who fears and gives God their heart. Many seeds of kindness germinate after a long while from when they were done, but they sure germinate. No seed of kindness dies. It will speak in future, because is being like God. It also calls God’s attention as a sweet smelling savor which He is satisfied with. This is a seed atimes left in a forgotten ground, but which never dies.










THE HIDDEN TEARS OF THE SHUNAMNITE





















Sorrow, difficulty or hard times have a way of influencing and rubbing off on the lives of people. This is what we find in the life of the shunamite. Predicarments mordify the attitudes of people. Most people are seasoned sanguine, but situations of life have transformed them into permanent melancholics. If life were good, they would have shinny teeth all through. The health of the youth (the dew of their youth), which is the expression of God’s beauty in them would be freely expressed, which is the height of life. Life is at times wasted by problems. They are like injuries on the leg that prevent a sprinter or a galloper. But thank God that although satan causes problems, God solves problems.

A CHARACTER INFLUENCED BY PROBLEMS

The character of the Shunamite was completely erratic. You would find this strain in her character expressed in her erratic behavior in dealing with Elisha. It was a psychological problem arising from her need. At one time upon Elisha’s request, she was asked to mention her needs, but she declined to mention any. It is characteristic of depressed people. Then when she heard a promise from God about that need she had expected to be met for years, she querried the prophet and demand the he did not lie to her. This is a symptom a deep sign of grief. Her behavior was influenced by her problem. This lifestyle which not altogether her fault, almost cost her blessing!
The standard human is frail and is refered to at times as a worm in scripture (See ). God recognizes this and always comes to our help. But where He hasn’t shown up yet, you have to make the uttermost best to maintain His demands and control your attitude, because those who run in a race run according to rules, as Paul puts it. The reward would not be awarded you if you failed to keep to rules. Do not curse God due to your predicarment. Don’t let problems rule and control your world, deciding for you what to do, or how your mood and day and decision should go. They should never predict this these things for you, because you may need to smile when your angel comes. Abraham put aside all his problems and faced his strangers at Mamre, providing food and shelter for them in the hot sunny day. This is where the shunamite scored high, but she failed in the influence of problems on her behavior. She could easily go someone who had been crying for a meal, but suddenly changed her mind when the meal was ready. Abraham was in sharp contrast with this. He even had time for handle people’s problems in intercession, like praying for an arrogant nephew, Lot.

WISDOM
There is time for every thing under the sun. The Shunamite’s kind deed to the prophet was not a license to perster him about with problems. She knew this and acted wisely here. Even Mary, the mother of Jesus was almost turned away when She approached Him for the condition of lack of wine at the marriage at Cana, because according to Christ, “time had not yet come”. It would have been a display of ignorance to immediately demand a miracle from the prophet. The Bible says “seek first the kingdom of God, and other things would be added to you”. When we seek God’s interest ours aside, we get God’s attention. Hannah had her request on this ground. I am sure that if Hannah had requested for a football star, God would have not turned in her direction. Eli the Priest and his sons had fumbled, and God was seeking a replacement. The need at God’;s heart was a prophet, a Nazarite according to Israeltish rule, who would be trained by these priests to occupy the place of a prophet in Israel. The Kingdom of God is the interest of God. And soon as Hannah sought its interest by the help of God Spirit, in accepting to supply the need of the kingdom, she had a child. The shunamite also was not left out.
We should also be careful of hurry God. Silly demands like wanting to backslide and get back to the devil because God has not met our needs, are not without consequence. How then do we reconcile that Abraham was the friend of God. Such people are not always at the heart of God. He could as well give them their request knowing them don’t love Him, but only desire what He has, and can send “leaness to their souls” (i.e. dissatisfaction). Wait for God, He is working out something.

















CALL THIS SHUNAMITE!

“Then shall the King saw unto them who are on the right, come ye blessed of my father and enter into your rest. For I was an hungered and you fed me, I was naked and you clothed me… as much as you did it to any of these little ones.”

THE DAY OF RECONNING
There have been periods of long wait and expectations in the history of humanity. Some of such wait were those of Abraham’s for a promised child (twenty five years from the time of promise), Isaac’s for a child, Israel’s for liberation (four hundred and thirty years), Manoah’s and Wife (time not stated), Hannah’s for a child (time unknown), King Saul’s for Samuel (Seven days of fear and uncertainty), among others, but the greatest wait in the history of hiumanity was that for the Consolation of Israel, the Desire of the Ages, the Messiah or the Christ. It took four thousand years to be fulfilled, measuring from when the word “and it shall bruise thy head” was spoken and not yet made flesh. During this period, generations came and went. All prophets came, spoke about it and fell asleep (died). David particularly spoke so much of Him “My LORD said unto my Lord…” “I forsaw the Lord always before my face” “ Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell” “It was a man, mine acquaintance…” etc, and also fell asleep (died).
But the last prophet who spoke to Israel before the darkest four hundred years during which God ceased speaking to Israel before His emergence left a clue.
“Behold, I will send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in( Israel so much loved the Messiah in their anticipation of His coming) : behold he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”
But he left a clue:
“But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire and fuller’s soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer ubto the LORD an offering in righteousness” Mal.3: 1-3.
But I am sure Israel did not take note of this because He came as was prophesied and did exactly this, questioning which the priesthood supposed to by handled by the tribe of Levi was polluted and the temple, the place of this sacrifice was used for trade instead of its purpose, overthrowing the exchangers’ money table! (See )
The idea is that God will turn up in your situation, but that He will come as a screener. He will want to know what you did while He was away. This is amply typified by the parable of the talents (See ). So, brace up and work instead of cry. He will come.

“CALL THIS SHUNAMITE!”
The Shunamite had been generous. It was now time for God to be generous to her. All works of kindness are recorded against the day of reconning, to stand as a benchmark for meting out rewards.

The anointing in Elisha finally got stirred up and he shouted “Call this shunamite”. This statement occurs twice in the scripture passage in 2kings 4. First in verse 12, and then in verse 36, and is a statement of remberance, uttered even when she did not deserve anything due to her faithlessness. It was not her faith that provoked the anointing, but her kindness! She failed on the platform of faith.
How would it be if God called your name from heaven, saying “Call me John!” “Call me Rita!” “It’s time for their miracle!”
When she was called, she came in and stood before Elisha. Elisha wanted to give her a social treatment of business connection with the king and his household which noble, or request for a band of soldiers as her guard, but she refused both rewards because they had not met her real desire of a child, although she said nothing about it, but the anointing was still working! Eventually, Gehazi had to open up for, that she was barren and that her husband was already old. I pray that God will open lips to speak on your behalf when you cannot speak for or represent yourself properly! That God will bring spokesmen and spokeswomen who will ably and clearly analyze your need and represent you properly! Let God call your name today for a reward!













THE TONGUE





















Human beings posses three “hearts” or level of expressions. The first is called “the Lips”. This is the most shallow heart and confirms to out ward pretense. God told the Israelites that they drew near to Him with their lips, but that their hearts were far from Him (See ). The next and very important heart is the tongue. This is the median point between the spirit, soul and body, and gives expression to the both the internal secrecies of the spirit and the issues of life. But it has too faults, which are that it can be either deceptive or used wrongly.The last heart is the “whole heart” or “heart of hearts”, which refers to the spirit or the most hidden and strongest part of a man. God told Israel, “you will find me when you seek me with your whole heart” ( ). We will be concerned with the tongue here.
The tongue is designed as a knife. Biblical history explains that the swords recovered from soldiers who lived in ancient times were designed with teeth at the head between the handle and the blade, showing that it was actually a tongue that did the stabbing or slaying every time a stabbing or slaying occurred. What imagery! It baffled me that even men we would term unlearned caught this point early enough, that it was the tongue that did all the killing and destructions that occured in a war or in humanity generally.
God created the universe with words. (See Heb.11:3) Man is the smallest size of God and anything God does will always work for him if he emulates it.The scripture declares that the power of life and death are in the tongue. The tongue is a supernatural sword. It can cut in your favor or can be used by the blind against themselves. If you keep saying you will not die, it will turn out that you will not die! Circumstances will gravitate towards you that bring life, and you will be preserved, no matter your present condition. Your tongue needs life from the Holy Spirit and a check from God’s word because “a wholesome tongue is a tree of life” ( ).It will bless and not curse. It will lift you, rather than bring you down. Understand that every time you say something negative about yourself or others, you are actually stabbing your soul or theirs.


DON’T KILL YOUR MIRACLE WITH YOUR MOUTH
The Shunamite had this weakness. When Elisha called her and declared God’s mind which solves all impossibilities in verse 16 of IIkings 4, she immediately intercepted that she did not want an embarrassment which will not happen. She said “don’t lie to me”. But that word came from the sanctuary of heaven where all babies and good things descend from and is settled there forever in its original copy in seven dimension, and would never lie! A promise from God and a word from Him about your expectations are not just correct but accurate. He quickens the dead and calls those things which are not as though they are.
Although God’s word was straight and had no blemish or spot in it, the Shunamite’s word finally added a dent to it. The baby she was promised was born but later died of a sun stroke. Be careful of what you say when you are frustrated or desperate because you may be harming yourself. A man died by a stampede in Samaria’s emergency market because asked if God could do what Elisha had prophesied (God’s direct word), even if large windows were made in heaven.

Also, words, the products of the tongue are spirits. Jesus said this in . They are lively, potential forces that can create things from their invisibility. They actually take up form and appear as objects and circumstances and bring themselves to us as it happened when the words of God created the Universe.
You will not die. You will live. You will receive healing and health. Your expectations will be met. You will rise again. Your purpose will not be killed. You are a star. Live great. It’s time for you!
MERCY

The scripture declaes:
“Oh give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: because his mercy endureth forever.”

I don’t know the extent of forever, but Alfred Lord Tennyson speaks of Time being the “Thens” and “whens” of the eternal now. Eternity is quite large enough.
Like we all the Shunamite had made her mistakes, but mercy corrected all of them. May Mercy correct all your mistakes and right all your wrongs! Nobody deserves mercy; it is given, even to the worst, undeserved ones.
The Bible speaks of the Covenant God made with David called The Sure Mercies of David ( See ). This covenant had a clause that if his children disobeyed God, He had the right to discipline but not leave them.David earned this covenant because of his love for God. The Shunamite’s good works were always speaking even when she was legally not fit. When she had no faith, mercy showed up and corrected all her mess. Thus her son came back to life and was handed over to her. God called the Shunamite through Elisha. Today, God is calling your name, and nothing can stop your blessing!

The Shunamite’s child had died

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