R U AN OBSERVANT SERVANT?

I don't know about you, but I often find myself regretting missed opportunities for service. Times when a chance to do a good deed goes undone because I was so wrapped up in my own world and the magnitude of my problems. You know, times when you could have let someone out of the parking lot into ongoing traffic, but you just pulled up and blocked their access; all because you were focused on your destination and the time it was taking to get there. Or how about a homeless person, standing feet away from your car at a stop sign? But, after you look both ways and see that the road is clear, you speed ahead, never realizing that a time of blessing just slipped through your fingers.

If only we could teach ourselves to be more observant to our surroundings and the people and opportunities that God places in our daily paths; however, sometimes we may need a little help in knowing that an opportunity even exists....like the story of Elisha and the Shunammite woman found in 2 Kings 4: 8-15.

As the story goes, Elisha traveled through Shuhen on a pretty regular basis and was persuaded by a Shunammite woman to stop at her home and let her feed him. In fact, she even got her husband to build a room on the upper outer wall, complete with table, chair, bed and a lampstand...all the comforts of home that this holy man of God might require to rest from his journeys. This sojourning probably went on for some time, when one day while staying in the room, Elisha called his servant, Gehazi, and ask him to bring the woman to him. As she stood in the doorway, Elisha, seeking to do her a good turn for the kindness she had shown him, asked if he might intercede on her behalf with the king or the commander of the army? She told him that was not necessary and left...which left Elisha puzzled as to what he might do to repay her kindness?

And that's where the story takes a new turn as Elisha asks his servant "What then is to be done for her? To which his servant, Gehazi replies, "Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old."

And why is that important? Because in Old Testament times, if a woman was barren, cultural mores believed she was cursed and should be ashamed by her inability to bear children....and since her husband was old, if he died, she would likely end up impoverished and destitute. So, Elisha had his servant summon her again, and this time as she stood in the doorway, he told her that this time next year, she would hold her son in her arms...AND SHE DID JUST THAT!

And all of this came about because of the observant servant, Gehazi. Now speculation would have us surmise that Elisha just had too much on his mind to see what had to be obvious...she was childless and her husband was old....not a good scenario for a woman in those times. However, his servant was quick with his answer with the perfect kindness that Elisha, through the power of mighty Jehovah, could bestow on this kind and thoughtful woman...a woman who was not a Jew, but knew a man of God when she saw one. She had a need and with a little nudge from a observant servant, the man of God gave her an unspeakable gift in thanks to her and her willingness to show him and his servant the simple kindness of hospitality.

So what does this story say to you and me? First off, God has called each of us to be like His Son,  who came "to seek and to save those who were lost"....to have a servant's heart and to always be ready to give out of our bounty, as well as out of our need. And to do that and do that well, we must be an Observant Servant...ready to see the need; ready to meet the need; and ready to praise the ONE that makes that possible in every situation. So again I will ask...

ARE YOU AN OBSERVANT SERVANT?

Eyes wide open...ready to see, ready to do, ready to serve,

WPQ

Poem for the day....

Our Father has laid before each of us

The opportunity to serve;

But it takes one to be observant

And then to have the nerve.

The nerve to go to the mission field

Or stand beside a hospital bed;

To seek to alleviate the pain and loss

The fear...the hurt...the dread.

The desire to serve when no one will

To lay aside all fears and doubts.

To give ourselves in surrender

When our hearts want to back out.

For if we want to follow Him

And live as His servant....

We must keep our eyes wide open

As we learn to be observant.

WPQ  July 2020