Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. Then she said to Elijah, “O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?”
But Elijah replied, “Give me your son.” And he took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?”
And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.” The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!” [1 Kings 17.17-23]
I wondered today why Elijah took the boy's body and placed it on his own bed.
I could only imagine that perhaps that bed had been a place of intense prayer for Elijah. Perhaps upon that same bed, Yahweh revealed to Elijah that the child would die. Perhaps that bed was simply a place Elijah trusted because he most recently communed with God there.
There are so many possibilities as to why Elijah took that child to that particular bed. However, my thoughts are those listed above. Elijah was a man of prayer - the rest of today's reading clearly points that out. Today's reading also makes note that 'where' Elijah prayed had at least some significance as well. These facts are certainly worth paying attention to.
Father, help me to understand that where I pray matters.
