Life from Death – March 27, 2023

Read: 2 Kings 4:17-37

When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD.
2 Kings 4:32,33

Life from Death

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Do you know what your parents are most afraid of? Could you try to guess? For most parents, their greatest fear is this: You dying. The greatest fear for parents is to have one of their children die. They don’t like to think about that. You don’t like to think about that!

But that’s exactly what happened to a mother in the Bible. There was a lady who lived in the town of Shunem in Israel. At first, she and her husband weren’t able to have any children. But, because of her kindness to the prophet Elisha, God allowed her to give birth to a son. She was so happy! Can you imagine how much she loved her one little son?

One day, that boy got a headache, and it didn’t get better. He came in from outside and sat on his mother’s lap. That very day, he died right there in her arms. That mother’s worst fear had happened. Her son was dead. Can you imagine how sad she must have been?

But that mother knew just what to do. She went to God. Actually, she went back to the prophet Elisha. She trusted something amazing: God gives us all we need, even when it comes to death. In fact, God has power to bring life from death.

Elisha went to the mother’s house, and God gave Elisha the power to raise her son back from the dead. Can you imagine how happy that mother must have been? Life from death!

That’s God’s promise to you and your parents and everyone who believes in Jesus. Because of our sins, every single one of us is going to die. But because Jesus rose from the dead for us, God promises that everyone who has faith in Jesus also receives life from death. Maybe God won’t raise us back to life here on earth, but he will absolutely raise us to eternal life in heaven.

Even if our worst fears happen, even if you or someone you love dies, remember this: God brings life from death!

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, death can make us so afraid. We don’t want the people we love to die. Yet, you proved again and again in the Bible that you have power over death. Help us to always trust your promise that you bring life from death. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• What are your parents most afraid of?
• What happened to the woman’s son in our Bible story?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• When the woman’s son died, she took her troubles to God. Name two times in your life when you have taken your troubles to God.
• Why do people die?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Why do you think death makes us so afraid?
• What is it from today’s devotion that you want to remember to help overcome your fear of death?