Gehazi 2

 Galatians 5:7 has a plaintive cry from Paul:
    You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?
Can't you just mourn with Paul over some believers who ran into difficulty? The word "hindered" is one used in athletics when a runner cuts into the path of another. In the Olympics, the offending athlete is disqualified, but sadly, in life sometimes the offended runner is disqualified. Or at least have their progress impeded severely.

We can wonder if Gehazi roused that same passion in Elisha. "You were running well." (Pun intended–recall the run from Mt. Carmel to Shunem.) The story proceeds from where we left off last time in 2 Kings 5. (Above) The actions are certainly understandable. Gehazi watches the hated and feared Aramean commander walk away completely healed–with all of the treasure that he had brought.

"At least, we ought to charge this infidel something for God's services." I bet you figured out the problem right there, didn't you? If we start selling God's favors we will quickly reduce Him to a "Genie in a Box." "You pays yer money and you gets yer miracle."

Not to be judgmental, but if you take a pass through the "religious channels" there is a good chance that you will hear, "Send in your ‘seed money' to help the Lord's work...." (Our work really, but who is keeping track?)

Gehazi did not recognize grace when it literally hit him in the face. What a shame. Something else hit him in the face. We will not read the story, it is all there.

But does the story end? In 6:15 we read about the story of Elisha's unnamed attendant. Elisha worked with the "sons of the prophets" and they are scattered through these chapters. Had he chosen a new lieutenant? Chapter 7 has the scintillating story of Ben-hadad of Aram, yes the same one who sent Naaman to be healed. Grateful rascal, isn't he?

B-h sets up a siege of Jerusalem with the intent of destroying it completely. Long story short, the Lord delivers them through Elisha. Jerusalem and Judah are saved. That brings us to chapter 8 and what we may call a "full circle story."

Elisha warned the Shunammite woman whose son he had raised from the dead to leave because a famine was coming, in fact was here. So she and her family left for seven years until the famine had abated. Then she returned to Judah and approached the king to reclaim her family inheritance.

Now comes a very interesting statement: verse 4
    Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God..,
Whoa! Did you see that? Gehazi is still the "servant of the man of God." He has not been abandoned or discarded. He is still around and active. Here is the rest: The king was
    saying, "Please relate to me all the great things that Elisha has done."
And Gehazi told him of the raising of the lad from the dead. As he was relating the story, the woman approached the king to ask for help. We can talk about "God's coincidences" all day long, but there is a more important story here.

God is the "God of the second chance." (We will take a tour through the Scriptures on that next. It is fascinating.) And it seems like Gehazi, as Adam and Eve, David, Peter, and others, got a second chance. That is exhilarating. Just making a mistake does not doom us to a life of failure. Gehazi was still Elisha's servant.

That is the last we hear of our greedy friend. But it sounds like he had a change of heart. What a beautiful picture. God does not give up on us.

And, I am pretty sure that the Galatians listened to Paul and got back on track. It is never too late to turn around or get back to the trail that we left. God is not done with us yet.