Today’s Devotion
Topic: Christian Generosity & Hospitality: A MUST FOR DIVINE BLESSINGS (Self Assessment)
Background: Some things we do invite direct blessings to us especially if we do them wholeheartedly, as unto God. Two of such virtues are GENEROSITY AND HOSPITALITY. Let us zoom straight into our weekly Bible study to find out how these two virtues practiced by a Shunammite couple paved way for their greatest heart desire to be met.
Text: 2 Kings: 4: 8- 17
8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. 9 She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.”
11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. 13 Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’” She replied, “I have a home among my own people.”
14 “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked. Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. 16 “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”
“No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!” 17 But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her. Amen
Questions:
- What, in your opinion, is generosity and hospitality? How are they related?
- Read verses 8- 10 carefully. It has been said that generosity and hospitality stem more from a person’s nature (heart) than possession. Will you agree with this statement, and why?
- So then, is it possible for people who do not consider themselves “well-to-do” to practice generosity and hospitality and be blessed as well? What does it take to be generous then if not riches? (Read 1 Kings 17: 7- 16)
- Do you think the Shunammite woman extended a generous hand to the prophet just because she was rich or mainly because she was kind by nature? Explain your answer.
- She and her understanding husband fed the prophet for long and even went on to accommodate him without any expectations from the prophet. Even when the prophet asked what she wanted in vrs 13, she didn’t want anything. What do you think was her motivation then? (read vrs 9).
- Why, in your opinion, did prophet Elisha ask what He could do for her in vrs 14?
- Elisha declared her greatest heart desire would come to pass in a year’s time and it did. Do you think that all the “God bless you’s” and other blessings we receive when we are generous and hospitable go a long way to affect our lives positively or not?
- If so, why is it still practically very difficult for us to be generous and hospitable? Mention as many factors as possible.
- Hebrews 13: 2 encourages that we “do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it”. With scriptural references, kindly explain how we can overcome these factors that make generosity and hospitality challenging. Especially since they command a lot of blessings for those who practice? (read: Gal 6: 9, Prov 19: 17, Luke 6: 38, 2 Corinth 9: 6, Deut 15: 10, 2 Tim 1: 7).
- What have you learnt from today’s lesson?
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