A Mother's Faith

“Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’” And she answered, ‘It is well.’” – 2 Kings 4:26

As a mother, there are times when your faith is all that gets you through the day. When your baby is sick and nothing is working to ease their pain, you need your faith. When your child endures their first heartbreak, you need your faith. When they begins to drive and ride with young friends who drive, you need your faith. When it seems your teen is turning against you and all you’ve taught them, you need your faith. The faith of a Christian mother is a wondrously strong faith because it’s tried and true, and comes from a heart of worship.

In 2 Kings 4:15-36 we read the story of the Shunammite woman. She became a friend to Elisha by giving the prophet a place to stay when he traveled. In gratitude for her service, Elisha sought to give her the one thing she wanted so badly, yet could not have – a child. Her husband was old, and she had no children. When Elisha told her that in one year she would embrace a son, hold him in her arms, look upon his face, she thought he was lying! Some desires are so strong and we endure them for so long that we lose faith that they can ever be granted.

But just as Elisha had promised, she gave birth to a son. Can you imagine how much she loved her son? I can just see her smiling as he runs through the grass. I can see her laughing as he learns to feed himself. I can see her cry the first time he got a boo-boo. How much her love must have grown through the years. Then, one day, the unspeakable happened. The son she adored died - even while sitting in her lap.

Most mothers would crumble. Most mothers would scream out in anguish, and possibly never recover. But the Shunammite woman had faith, a faith that all mothers should hope to achieve. She simply laid her dead son on the bed of the prophet, saddled a donkey, and road out to find the prophet. She didn’t cry out “I have to find the man of God so he can heal my son!” Instead she gave very little information to those who were in her presence. They asked why she chose to go after Elisha on that day when it wasn’t the typical times for worship. She didn’t tell what happened to her son. Her answer each time was a simple indication of her deep faith: “It is well”.

Can we choose to say “It is well” in the midst of our storms? Can we see through the eyes of faith to the day when it will be well again? Can we be faced with the anguish and brokenness of this great woman, and yet deny it all at the feet of our God?

Her faith was strong – strong enough to raise the dead. Elisha returned with her, worked with the child, stretching himself out upon him. When the child sneezed and opened his eyes, Elisha told the woman to pick up her child. The Bible says she first fell at his feet, then picked up her child.

When things in our life are corrected by God, when he takes over the storms and the clouds pass, do we first rejoice in the fact that the problem is gone, or do we fall at His feet. Her faith was strong. We see that in her actions to heal her son. But her worship reflects what was in her heart. In her heart, God came first.

As a mother, I need more faith. I need to know that God is the best babysitter I could ever have. I need to know that he protects my children, disciplines my children, and above all He loves my kids even more than I do. This understanding creates a heart of worship! Over time, my faith will strengthen because God continually proves Himself worthy of my trust.

Mothers, and others, give your children to God. Give your storms to God. Give it all to God. He is the only one who can make a difference in this world.

Lord Jesus, Father God, thank you for watching over my children. Thank you for loving them, and loving me. Be in our midst in the storms Father. Let nothing separate us. Heal us when we are broken, give us joy for each new day. Increase our faith in you, and let us always fall to worship at your feet. Amen.