April 11th - Reflection

1 Kings 17:17-24 (NRSV)
Elijah raises the widow's son

After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. She then said to Elijah, "What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!" But he said to her, "Give me your son." He took him from her bosom, carried him up into the upper chamber where he was lodging, and laid him on his own bed. He cried out to the Lord, "O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?" Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried out to the Lord, "O Lord my God, let this child's life come into him again." The Lord listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; then Elijah said, "See, your son is alive." So the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth."

Reflection
Life from death. Death is not the fault of God killing the widow's son. Death is a result of our sin. God gives life and not death. But God has been gracious to give us life instead of death. God's word is his promise and our hope of life through Jesus.

It seems there is a special meaning to the upper room or in this case the upper chamber. God comes to us in life, in life through Elijah and life through Jesus in the supper. A paralytic was lowered from the upper area of the house to be healed by Jesus. Healing and life seems to come in this gathering of friends and God in this upper room.

God opens up in the upper room and shows us glimpses of the promise of resurrection and life. In this upper chamber, this rooftop area, this upper room, we hear and witness the Word of God in truth. Thanks be to God, the God of life.

Prayer
Lord, as you come into this room of my heart, may I listen and heed the Word of Life. --- Amen