Life seldom goes as I want. Usually it just surprises me or maybe annoys or frustrates me, but sometimes it scares me, and sometimes I want to despair.
Those times I’m like Elisha’s servant, facing the army of Arameans who had come to capture Elisha. With possible abuse and death looming, there didn’t seem much that two men could do. Elisha’s servant despaired, but Elisha didn’t. Here’s his reaction, in 2 Kings 6:16-17:
“‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’
“And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’”
What the servant saw, of course, was a mighty flaming host of heavenly warriors, present for the duty of ensuring Elisha’s safety. Elisha, whose God had made an ax head float and whispered to Elisha every plan of the king of Aram, knew that he had nothing to fear. His faith in God was fixed.
It’s a message I need, as I watch change come to our public life and erosion wear away the morality I grew up with. When violence splatters our cities in blood and every kind of depravity is just a few clicks away, and holders of the highest offices in the nation have vulgar mouths and worse lifestyles, I’m tempted to despair. It’s tempting to let my voice go silent and try to escape notice of all the haters and judgers out there.
But those who are with us are more than those who are with them. It would be a huge mistake for me to look at all the attacks and lose faith in God. Like Elisha, I have a lifetime full of God’s faithfulness and providence to look back on. So this morning I’m praying Elisha’s prayer for myself: “Open my eyes, Lord, so that I may see you at work in this world.”
No comments:
Post a Comment