Today’s scripture: 2 Kings 4:8-37 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Kristin Lee):
In today’s reading, a woman without a son (who is not asking for a son) receives one as a gift from God’s prophet. In time, the son dies. The woman returns to the prophet, angry that the gift she never asked for was taken away. The prophet returns with the woman and brings her child back to life.
The woman’s anger spoke to me, reminding me of the age-old question, “Is it better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all?” The answer we give to that question seems to be determined on the length of time since the loss. The more recent the loss, the more likely someone is to answer “never have loved at all.” Loss hurts, and it’s an experience humans are destined to have, whether it be a lover, relative, friend, pet, job, or dream.
In our passage, the woman returns to the prophet. However, this solution is not available for most of us facing loss. Loving and losing hurts. It may be the hardest thing we have to survive in our lives. So what do we do when life has us trapped at the bottom of a well and all we can see is the blue sky above that belongs to everyone else?
Jesus said to love one another, and I think this is the key to climbing out of the isolating pain of loss. All you have to do is read the personal ads, or really listen to someone talk, to understand that everyone gets trapped in their own well.
So when I’m certain that I’m all alone in the heartache, instead of waiting for someone else to come along to throw me a rope, I do my best to toss out my own dental floss to someone else. I may write my grandma one of the “better” jokes in Sunday’s sermon, or contact my good friend in Kansas who I never see as much as I wish. I don’t know if these people are in their own wells, but reaching out to say “I’m thinking about you,” is just the thing I wish someone would do for me. And aren’t we to do unto others as we would want them to do unto us?
It is always better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. During our times of loss, as impossible as it may seem, the act of loving (the one thing that caused the pain to begin with) is what we are called to do. Loving gives our lives purpose. It helps to find a footing for getting up and out of the well.
Thought for the day: Who can I send a lifeline to today?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.