In these days there is often lack of communication between parents and their children, their God-given heritage (Psa. 127:3). There are principles in 2 Kings 4 that shed light on our homes.
In this chapter the child was with the father when trouble began, but he did not take time to attend. He only told a servant to take him to the mother. The mother held him on her knees till he died what devotion! Then she (that great woman) went to God through Israel's link at that time, the man of God. Faith cannot be denied since it was God who promised and gave her a son. Gehazi was dispatched with a rod but with no results. Although necessary in its place, how often the rod appears not to produce the desired results. Perhaps because it is not accompanied with the proper love before the rod became necessary.
Elisha's actions present much for meditation. First, he shut the door on them both and prayed. How often this private, personal touch has been the beginning of a breakthrough in problems. Can our children say they have heard us bring them individually before the throne, pleading the help of the God of wisdom in their problems? Are we taking the place of knowing it all or do they see us in confessed weakness before the throne?
Next, Elisha lay upon the child and put his mouth upon his mouth. Do we take time and effort to communicate with those who are young, in a way that they can understand? In Matt. 13:23, it was receiving the word with understanding that produced fruit.
He put his eyes on the child's eyes. How much effort do we take to see things the way a child does? How do our strong reactions appear to them?
Then he put his hands on his hands. What do children do with their hands? Probably more than anything else they play. Does this interest the Lord? Zech. 8:5 indicates that in the millennial day of glory, in Jerusalem the center of government, "the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets." Do we put our hands on their hands and play with them?
“He stretched himself upon the child." It would not be stretching himself out but rather to make himself small as the child. It was in this way that the flesh of the child was warmed. 1 Cor. 15:46, shows us that it is not the spiritual but rather the natural that comes first. If there is the sincere effort (not put on) on our part to stretch ourselves down to them in this practical way, there will be a warmth produced between parent and child.
Results were not immediate—he walked around a bit (verse 35), and then it was all repeated. Life was manifested in an unexpected way, seven sneezes. It was unmistakable, although probably not the expected way of showing that life was there. Parents whose hearts are right will not lay down rules on how that life must manifest itself, yet, they would be alert for the first signs of life.
What joy for the mother as she came to pick up her child alive again. But before she picked him up, she bowed to the ground. Oh, how such a work of life-producing grace in our children should first produce the due praise to Him whose blessing comes because of His sovereign purpose to bless. "As a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men." Mic. 5:7. R. Thonney