Build Him a Room

"One day Elisha visited Shunem, and a well-to-do woman living there pressed him to stay and eat a meal. After this, whenever he came through, he stopped there for a meal. She said to her husband; I can see that this is a holy man of God who keeps stopping at our place. Please let's build him a little room on the roof we'll put a bed and a table in it for him and a stool and a candlestick. Then whenever he comes to visit us, he can stay there. One day Elisha, I came to visit there and he went into the upper room to lie down." 2nd Kings 4:8-11 Complete Jewish Bible

The simple message in this passage reveals the relationship between the life of the prophet of God and this family. It is so simple that I think most may miss it. In the text, we see what started as a simple invitation to dinner turned into a home remodeling project. This project was started all because this well-to-do woman could see God in Elisha. I wonder how many times God has stopped by to visit with you and you did not see him. How many times has he knocked at the door of your heart and was looking to come in and dine with you, but you did not hear him? How many times do you miss that knocking that visitation?

Well, this woman was not going to miss out on her visitation so much so that she asked her husband to build a new addition onto the house — a separate room just for the man of God. What you must not miss is that this room was within the house but was built on the roof. It had stairs on the outside of the home to reach this room. She was saying to Elisha, "you will not have to wait on me to let you in any longer; this is your place."

In designing and building this new addition, she made sure that the room had all that Elisha would need in it. It had a bed, a table, a stool along with a candlestick.

In other words, she was not giving him just space. Sometimes we need to check and see if what we are giving God is empty. Like empty praise or empty worship or empty words of love that sound good but have no substance of truth to them.

Another thing to notice about this passage is that when Elisha came to the house, it says that he went into the upper room to lie down. That means that he felt comfortable enough to do so. Can you say that you have constructed a place for God in your life and made it so that he can come in at any time? Have you said to The Spirit of God, "I want you to feel comfortable in my heart and my life."? Finally, there was a candle in the room that Elisha could light and when he did, anyone passing by would know that the holy man of God was in the city. Is the light of God shining in your life so much so that when those passing by you will know that God lives there?

Know this, God who has been standing outside of your heart waiting for you to invite him in. Don't wait any longer to do it. He is waiting just for you.

Always know that you are Shaped2Live!