Connect to Us: Read 2 Kings 4:8-17
Purpose: To encourage us to make room for God and new people in our lives.
Human need: We need to be hospitable to God and others, so that we are able to truly live.
Hospitality: (noun) friendly, welcoming, and generous treatment offered to guests or strangers.
In this week’s scripture lesson, we are blessed with the image of a woman who offers radical hospitality
to a virtual stranger. We have much to learn from the Shunammite woman who is willing to build an addition to
her home to accommodate a stranger. What can we learn about being hospitable from the woman in this story?
First of all, when Elisha arrived in Shunem, the woman urged him to stay for a meal. (2 Kings 4:8). The use of the word urged shows that she didn’t just ask him. Her tone had to be more convincing, more open, almost as if she is
saying: it would be my pleasure for you to stay for a meal.
Also, after he stayed for one meal, every time he stopped in that area he came by for other meals. This indicates that she continued to open her home and her heart to this man as time went on, forming relationship
with him. True hospitality does not stop with one act—often, a simple act is just the beginning.
After the man was coming by for meals on a regular basis (often, according to verse 9), the woman suggested
to her husband that they make a room for him to stay in when he stops in. Not only did she notice that the man
might need food, but she realized that, as often as he came to town, he would
need shelter as well. Therefore, she had a room built for him on her roof. The woman was sensitive to the human
needs of Elisha. It is interesting that the word “Shunem” can mean double rest. The room was a place where Elisha
could rest. The Holy Spirit moved in the woman so that she was able to detect
other needs of her guest.
In a world full of people, it can be difficult to determine who to be hospitable to. We should have an attitude of hospitality so that at least every person we encounter will see our love for God and our love for our neighbor. Sometimes God will speak to us specifically about being intentionally hospitable to a particular person or a particular group. In order to hear God speak, we must first make room for God in our lives. The world is a noisy place, there a lot of competing voices trying to arrest our attention. A passionate prayer and devotional life will help us hear God’s voice.
Connecting Heads:
What does it mean to practice radical
hospitality?
How can we practice radical hospitality?
Connecting Hearts:
Has any one every showed hospitality to you when other people where
rude or hostile toward you. How did this experience make you
feel?
Are you making room for God and new people in your life? What is the process for making room?
Connecting Hands:
How can we practice radical hospitality outside of the comfort of our homes? Now do it.
Connection Challenge:
Pray for ten minutes a day.
Read scripture for ten minutes a day.
Read Scripture: 2 Kings 4:14-21
Purpose: To encourage us to make room for God and new people in our lives.
Human need: We need to be hospitable to God and others, so that we are able to truly live.
Hospitality: (noun) friendly, welcoming, and generous treatment offered to guests or strangers.
In this week’s scripture lesson, we are blessed with the image of a woman who offers radical hospitality
to a virtual stranger. We have much to learn from the Shunammite woman who is willing to build an addition to
her home to accommodate a stranger. What can we learn about being hospitable from the woman in this story?
First of all, when Elisha arrived in Shunem, the woman urged him to stay for a meal. (2 Kings 4:8). The use of the word urged shows that she didn’t just ask him. Her tone had to be more convincing, more open, almost as if she is
saying: it would be my pleasure for you to stay for a meal.
Also, after he stayed for one meal, every time he stopped in that area he came by for other meals. This indicates that she continued to open her home and her heart to this man as time went on, forming relationship
with him. True hospitality does not stop with one act—often, a simple act is just the beginning.
After the man was coming by for meals on a regular basis (often, according to verse 9), the woman suggested
to her husband that they make a room for him to stay in when he stops in. Not only did she notice that the man
might need food, but she realized that, as often as he came to town, he would
need shelter as well. Therefore, she had a room built for him on her roof. The woman was sensitive to the human
needs of Elisha. It is interesting that the word “Shunem” can mean double rest. The room was a place where Elisha
could rest. The Holy Spirit moved in the woman so that she was able to detect
other needs of her guest.
In a world full of people, it can be difficult to determine who to be hospitable to. We should have an attitude of hospitality so that at least every person we encounter will see our love for God and our love for our neighbor. Sometimes God will speak to us specifically about being intentionally hospitable to a particular person or a particular group. In order to hear God speak, we must first make room for God in our lives. The world is a noisy place, there a lot of competing voices trying to arrest our attention. A passionate prayer and devotional life will help us hear God’s voice.
Connecting Heads:
What does it mean to practice radical
hospitality?
How can we practice radical hospitality?
Connecting Hearts:
Has any one every showed hospitality to you when other people where
rude or hostile toward you. How did this experience make you
feel?
Are you making room for God and new people in your life? What is the process for making room?
Connecting Hands:
How can we practice radical hospitality outside of the comfort of our homes? Now do it.
Connection Challenge:
Pray for ten minutes a day.
Read scripture for ten minutes a day.
Read Scripture: 2 Kings 4:14-21
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