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case comes out, one thing is clear, The tavern owner believes in prayer and the Christians do not.” 2 Graham Scroggie said, “Pray when you feel like it. Pray when you don’t feel like it. Pray until you feel like it.” It’s also been said, “When it’s hardest to pray, pray hardest.” I’m sure it was hard at times for Elisha to pray. Yet it didn’t stop him from doing so. Submissive- Note the bodily humility involved in the prophet’s intercession for the young lad. In a manner similar to the way his mentor Elijah handled the poor widow of Zarephath’s son, “He got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy's body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more (2 Kings 4:35). This seems quite awkward, especially in our culture in this day and age. Yet, like Elijah before him, and even the mother herself (2 Kings 4:37), such posture clearly demonstrates humility. That said, nothing will ever display humility like that of Jesus on the cross. As Scripture says, “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). Yet, while Elisha carried out this prayer session behind closed doors, Jesus, beaten, battered, and bruised, hung there publicly for hours and died for all to see. Successful- John Wesley said, “God does nothing except in response to prayer.” While some might take issue with this statement, it certainly proved to be true here. Following the prayer, “The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes” (2 Kings 4:37). Unlike Gehazi, who received no response to his effort, Elisha, with God’s help, was able to restore life to the boy.

2 Ibid, p. 194.

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