We have come to know her as the Shunammite woman, but the Bible does not tell us her name. Rather, she is presented as a woman of means who has provided food and accommodation for Elisha and his servant, Gehazi. Perhaps, to recompense her, Elisha asks if there was something they could do for her; maybe introduce her to the king or the army commander. Her response to the offer, …“No,” she replied, “my family takes good care of me” (2 Kings 4:13b, NLT), is instructive when viewed against the background that she had no child and her husband was old. Apparently, she was not expecting anything to happen in that regard; but following Elisha’s prophecy, she conceived and bore a son. This can be likened to Sarah’s disposition; she had written herself off from having a child and had in fact given Abraham the permission to sleep with her maid, Hagar. With the resultant birth of Ishmael, one may understand her sneer at the word of the angelic visitors that she would have a child of her own (Gen 18:9-12)
In the New Testament, we see the case of Mary, who as an espoused virgin, was probably just expecting and looking forward to the wedding with Joseph. But God had other plans and sent the angel, Gabriel to deliver the message of her being the human vessel through whom the Saviour of the world would be born. And in answer to her question as to how this could be, the angel affirmed the conception by the Holy Ghost: “Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen since I am a virgin?” The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. For this reason the baby will be holy and will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:34-35 NCV). Jesus, also pointed out something beyond the expectation and experience of the disciples who were overjoyed that the demons submitted to them in His name, when He sent them out on evangelism: “But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” (Luke 10:20 NLT)
The Apostle Paul encountered some disciples in Ephesus and asked if they had received the Holy Ghost since the they believed. Their answer is informative because they admitted not having heard about the existence of the Holy Ghost, much more receive Him. He went on to enlighten and baptize them in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. (Eph. 19:1-7). The truth is that most times, we are limited by our circumstances, knowledge, experiences and perspectives. Yet we serve a God of possibilities. He is willing and able to go beyond our limitations and answer our prayers (“For with God nothing shall be impossible” Luke 1:37). Paul captures this succinctly in Ephesians 3: 20 “God can do anything, you know — far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.” THE MESSAGE
What are your expectations, hopes and prayers? God, by His Spirit will do more than you expect. Our four-part series for the month of May, “Beyond Expectations”, delves into the realms of possibilities that only God can bring about in our lives. Join us this and every Sunday, as we explore the theme.
God bless you.
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