magine the most wonderful gift that could ever be given to you. Imagine the

excitement of opening a present and finding theone thing you have wanted your whole life!

Now imagine getting double what you expected. God enjoys giving us gifts. He often givesus more than we ask or imagine. Let’s read about awoman who would agree.

woman from the town of Shunem often fed the prophet Elisha when he

visited there. She knew that Elisha often passedthrough town. One day she andher husband talkedabout the prophet’svisits. “I think weshould have aplace for Elisha tostay,” she said.“What do youthink?”

So theydecided toadd a roomto theirhouse. Aplace on therooftop with abed, a table, achair, and alamp. Elishawas sothankful to have aplace to rest. Hewanted to do

something for the family. So he asked thewoman to name anything she wanted. But thewoman said she wanted nothing.

Elisha’s servant remembered that thewoman had no children. When Elisha heardthis, he knew just what to do. He knew thatGod loves to give gifts. So he called for thewoman. “One year from now,” he said, “Godwill give you a child to hold in your arms.”

One year later, Elisha returned to thewoman’s house in Shunem. Smiling at the doorwere his friends, and in the woman’s arms wasa baby boy!

2 Kings 4:8-37; 8:1-6; Prophets and Kings, pp. 237–240

I

Twice BlessedTwice Blessed

I

24

AA

5

Lesson

The MessageGod gives me blessings, more thanI ask or imagine.

25

The boy grew into a fine lad. One day hewas helping his father in the fields. Suddenlythe boy’s head began to hurt, so his fathercalled for a servant to carry him home. Hismother did everything she could, but the boygrew sicker. Finally, he stopped breathing; hehad died.

God’s gift to the Shunammite woman—themost wonderful gift she could imagine—hadbeen taken away. The woman ran to findElisha. “I didn’t ask for anything,” she cried asshe shared her grief. “But God gave me ason, and now my son isgone!”

The prophet hurriedto the Shunammite’shouse. He went into theroom where the boy waslaying and prayed to theLord. Elisha covered theboy and the boy's bodybegan to get warm. Elishacovered the boy againand the boy sneezedseven times. Seven timesthe boy sneezed. On theseventh sneeze, he openedhis eyes, awake, and alive!

Elisha called theboy’s mother. When shesaw her son, she imme-diately knelt to thankGod. She had been givenone of the greatest gifts inlife—twice. There was nodoubt that God loved her. Godis so good! He gave her more than

she asked or imagined. And God will give you great blessings too—more than you canimagine.

Memory Verse“[He] is able to doimmeasurably morethan all we ask orimagine”(Ephesians 3:20, NIV).

26

Read your Bible lesson with your family.Read Ephesians 3:20 together. Remember that Godis able to take care of you and bless you more thanyou can ask or imagine. Thank Him for His gifts toyour family.

Tonight, go outside and look at the sky. Doyou really know what is up there? More than youcan imagine. Look up at the stars and try to countthem. Or look at a book about the universe. Whatdoes the universe tell us about God?

OD

E AR DFor worship, read about Elisha’s new room

in 2 Kings 4:8-10.

Take a small box and make a model of Elisha’sroom on the rooftop. What four things were in theroom? (See 2 Kings 4:10.) Write them here._____________, _____________,_____________, _____________. Make cutoutsof these four things and put them in the “room” thatyou made. Thank God for your home.

Review your memory verse; then say it in yourown words.

OD

OD

E AR D

Together with your family, read 2 Kings 4:11-17.Does your family have a baby? Or do you know a familywith a baby? What is the baby’s name? Write it here.________________ What was the Shunammite’sson’s name? What name would you give him, if he wasborn in your family? Ask God to bless a baby you know.

Sing “God Is So Good” (Sing for Joy,No. 13).

Say your memory verse.OD

I NS G

OD

During family worship, read 2 Kings 4:18-21.

If you have a garden, be like theShunammite’s son and help do some garden work. Don’t forget to wear a hatand drink enough water if the weather iswarm. Thank God for things that grow.

Make up a tune for yourmemory verse.

I NS G

OD

E AR D

Read 2 Kings 4:22-27 with your family. Talkabout a time when you had a big problem and “ran” to Godfor help. Draw a picture about it. Draw a face on the otherside of the paper to tell how you felt after giving your problem to God. Thank God for hearing your prayers.

Say your memory verse together.OD

H EAS R

S A B B A T H S U N D A Y

M O N D A Y

T U E S D A Y

W E D N E S D A Y

Israelite womenthought God was angry with

them when they couldn’thave a baby.

27

For worship, tell your Bible lesson storyas a family. Have someone begin by telling thefirst part, someone else the next part, and soon until the story is finished.

Ask each family member to name agift from God that they have receivedrecently. Which were more than asked foror imagined? Write them in a “BlessingBook.” Add to this book as time passes.

Sing “Praise God, From Whom AllBlessings” (The SDA Hymnal, No. 694)before prayer. Thank God for all His gifts.Then say your memory verse together.

OD

OD

OD

F R I D A YWith your family, read and discuss 2 Kings

4:28-37. After the boy was restored to life, howdid his mother thank God? Ask two people to tellabout an unexpected gift they received from God.

God gives us many gifts. Can you unscrambletwo of them?1. meoh ___________2. odof ___________

Say your memory verse. Then thank Godfor three gifts He has given you today.

OD

OD

OD

T H U R S D A Y