Bible in a Year - Women’s Thematic Reading Plan | Day 52

FEBRUARY 21 / Day 52 

The Shunammite Woman: Her Child Raised to Life 

📖 2 Kings 4:18-37 

A Minute of Grace

2 Kings 4:18-37 continues the story of the Shunammite woman. Earlier, because she had received Elisha with kindness, she was given a promise from God and bore a son. Now the child has grown. One day he goes out to his father among the reapers and suddenly cries, “My head, my head.” A servant carries him to his mother. He sits on her knees until noon, and then he dies.

In the face of such deep sorrow, the Shunammite woman’s response is striking. She does not immediately bury the child or explain everything to those around her. Instead, she lays him on Elisha’s bed, shuts the door, and goes to find the man of God. To her husband she says, “It shall be well.” When Gehazi asks whether it is well with her, her husband, and the child, she still answers, “It is well.” But when she reaches Elisha, she catches him by the feet and pours out the pain that words could no longer hide.

Her “It is well” does not mean she has no grief, nor does it mean she is pretending everything is fine. It is a kind of faith standing on the edge of collapse, still refusing to let go of God. She does not hand the final word to death, and she does not allow despair to become the end of the story. She places the child in the room connected with God’s promise and brings herself to the prophet of God, as if saying: Lord, this child came from Your grace; now I can only seek Your mercy.

Elisha finally comes to the child, shuts the door, and prays unto the Lord. God hears the prayer, raises the child to life, and gives him back to his mother. This passage does not teach that if we have enough faith, every loss will be immediately restored exactly as we desire. Rather, it shows us that in the deepest despair, we may still come before God and cling to His mercy, because death, tears, and impossible circumstances are not the boundary of His power.

Today’s theme, “The Shunammite Woman: Her Child Raised to Life,” invites us to reflect: When life enters pain we cannot explain, when a former gift seems to become a place of loss, when we do not know how to pray, speak, or keep going, are we still willing to come before God with honest tears? The Shunammite woman’s story reminds us that faith is not always loud declaration. Sometimes faith is refusing to leave God, even in the deepest pain.

Whispers for the Heart

1 The Shunammite woman once received her child as a gift from God, yet now she experiences the sudden pain of his death. Have you ever felt that something which once seemed like grace became a place of deep loss? Perhaps a relationship, a hope, a ministry, a job, or a blessing you once believed God had given. Are you willing to bring that complicated pain honestly before Him?

2 In her deepest grief, the Shunammite woman did not remain where she was. She rose and went to find Elisha. How do you usually respond in despair? Do you shut down, blame yourself, blame others, suppress your emotions, or bring your brokenness to seek God’s mercy?

3 The Shunammite woman held Elisha by the feet and would not easily let go. Is there something in your life today that does not need less prayer, but deeper pouring out before God? Do you believe that even before the outcome changes, God is willing to hear your cry and sustain you in your pain?

As you read 2 Kings 4:18-37 today, do not only see the miracle of the child being raised. Also see the persistence of a mother in despair. Her story reminds us that God’s mercy is not afraid of our tears, and His presence can enter even the deepest grief.

Take a quiet breath before you begin. Bring the pain you cannot easily speak, the losses you cannot explain, and the prayers still waiting for an answer before the Lord, and let His Word meet you there.

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🪕 Response Hymn:  Your Grace Is Sufficient for Me 

2 Kings 4:18-37 (KJV) 

18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.

19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.

20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.

21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.

22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, 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.

23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.

24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.

25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:

26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:

27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.

28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?

29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.

30 And the mother of the child said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.

31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.

32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.

33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord.

34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.

35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.

37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

🪕 Response Hymn:  Your Grace Is Sufficient for Me 

💡 Closing Thought · Holding Mercy in the Midst of Despair 

After reading 2 Kings 4:18-37, we see that the Shunammite woman’s faith was not an easy faith. It was faith in the abyss of losing her child, faith that still refused to let go of God. She did not have many explanations or complete answers. She simply rose with her broken heart and went to seek God’s mercy.

As we close this page and return to real life, perhaps you are facing something hard to explain. Perhaps there is a hope in your heart that has not yet been raised. Perhaps you are quietly weeping over a child, a family, a relationship, your health, or the future. Remember this: God does not despise your pain, and He is not weary of your cries. His mercy can enter the deepest room and touch the places we thought were already over.

May today’s Scripture remind you: even in despair, do not carry your pain alone; even before you see a turning point, do not stop coming before God. May you hold fast to His mercy through tears, wait for His presence in the darkness, and be gently lifted by Him in your weakest place.

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