Some years ago, I remember watching a BBC 4 series called ‘Micro Worlds’. One of the specific programmes was about the Okavango Delta in Botswana and the extremes endured by nature throughout the dry season in the waiting for the flood waters. There was a particularly memorable scene as the camera zoomed in to capture images of carp gasping for air, lying flat in the last remaining puddles of a once vast waterway system. As the image came into view, the comment was how flood waters take 3 months to reach carp in the delta; they would be completely unaware that help has nearly arrived.

In this passage Samaria, like the Okavango Delta, was also going through an extreme time of famine. Due to Ben-Hadad’s attacks, Israel even resorted to cannibalism. The king is confronted with such wickedness and blamed Elisha for their difficulty. The king nearly lays hold of Elisha, but suddenly declares ‘Surely this calamity is from the Lord; why should I wait for the Lord any longer?’ And how good is our God, that as soon as we acknowledge our folly, He is faithful to give hope! Elisha replies, ‘Hear the word of the Lord,’ and goes on to describe a vast abundance would be available in the gates the next day. As if trying to tell carp flood waters were on the way, the king’s servant can’t believe the windows of heaven would open. Indeed, the Lord did bring relief. But sometimes relief comes through the most unlikely of sources! In this case, He chose four lepers who stumbled into an abandoned enemy camp! When God is on the case, He can cause a thousand to flee from only four. And so, ‘the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians, so a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel…according to the word of the Lord’ (v. 16). The flood waters came.

Of course, ‘the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment’ (2 Pet 2:9). We know that the just shall walk by faith. It was not so for the king’s servant who could not believe God would open the windows of heavens in a moment. But, as the Shunammite women followed Elisha’s instruction and walked by faith, the Lord caused even all that seemed lost to be completely restored! May we not hang onto our little bit with unbelief. But rather, lay down our all for our Lord God, knowing He is faithful to bring even what seems dead back to life.

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Lord, open the windows of heaven in my life, to live in Your abundance. Amen.