Elisha and the woman @ Shunem  

2 Kings 4.8-37 

An attitude of tenacity! Get a grip and hang on. This is a great story! The first thing that stands out to me is that she was "a well-to-do woman." 

I grew up on the 'other side of the tracks.' I didn't think folks who were 'well-to-do' had problems. I wasn't certain what 'well-to-do' was, but I knew that we weren't!

Here are some of the lessons this story has for me:

   1) she did what was right without asking for, nor expecting, anything in return

   2) when she lost that which was most precious to her, she went to the source of the blessing

   3) she didn't bother anyone with details who wasn't able to help her

   4) when she got to the source of the blessing, she plainly stated her case

   5) she wasn't going to be deterred from her mission, nor satisfaction!

That, my friends, is tenacity! That was a woman with a mind of her own. She didn't need, nor ask permission from anyone. She commanded her way and knew how to stop the prophet in his tracks (she grabbed him by the ankles and wouldn't let go).

The book of James talks about unstable persons. It says, "a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." The word translated as "double-minded" could more accurately be translated as 'torn soul.' Now, I don't know where the 'torn soul' resides, but the Old Testament writers liked to refer to the 'heart' while Paul often referred to the 'mind.'

I've known those whose 'heart' had been torn by grief and sorrows. I've also known those whose 'mind' had been besieged by such angst that they didn't know which way to turn or what to do next.

Frustration, discouragement, and confusion can also have similar effects upon a person.

These are situations where we must 'cast our cares upon Him.' That woman from Shunem was desperate but her actions became a great statement of faith. She knew from whence her blessings came and she wasn't going to be parted from her blessing!

In Luke 18:1 "Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." Then he proceeded to tell them the story of the 'importunate woman.' I love that word - 'importunate.' That's one determined woman who will face hell and high water and not back down!

God, please give us more women - and men, who have tenacity!