17 Then Elisha prayed, Lord, I pray you, open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. – 2 Kings 6:17 AMP
Elisha’s servant thought all hope was lost. In the middle of the night they had been surrounded by the Syrian army. This would surely be the end of Elisha’s ministry. The Syrians would take Elisha prisoner and God would have to find another prophet. But Elisha saw the whole picture and prayed for the young man to see. What a sight he saw! The prospective captors were stricken with blindness and taken captive.
I have been like Elisha’s servant in my fabled past. I would see only my current circumstances and automatically admit defeat. In some instances I can look back and see God’s hand at work in my life. Other times I simply look back to see that I was alone at the bottom of the cold, dark mountain.
What about you? Have there been times in your life when you knew God protected you? Maybe you were involved in a serious automobile accident and lived to tell about it. Perhaps you saw no way financially to pay your bills but there was money actually left over at the end of the month. Whatever your circumstances, there is only one explanation: God. It’s not luck, happenstance, or coincidence, though these terms are often used by society to explain the inexplicable. From personal experience I can tell you that those things don’t exist.
I personally want to be like Elisha, but I realize that I have to grow more in Him. Think about it: if you saw a mountain full of fiery chariots, what would you do? I have to confess that if God would show me a bunch of fiery chariots on the mountain in front of our house I might freak out. It would be really neat to see such a thing, but I just don’t know what I would do. I know I’ll be able to handle such sights someday, but not today. Don’t get me wrong, deep in my heart I would love to see things as God sees them. But God knows what I can handle, just like he knew what Elisha could handle.
Why was Elisha so cool under pressure? He was calm because he knew the Syrians didn’t stand a chance against his God. Are you like Elisha? Have you been under attack? Are you having problems at work that challenge your faith? Is someone at church gossiping about you? Are your current circumstances making you question if God is even real? If any of these describe you or you can relate to them in any way there is only one solution: put your trust in God. Pray. Read the Bible. Believe. Everything you view as a problem is something God views as an opportunity. Elisha knew it, so we should know it as well.
Elisha trusted God. As a result of this trust, he was able to see what others could not. He saw all that God had in store.
14 Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord. – Psalm 27:14 AMP
Elisha’s servant did not expect the Lord to save them from the Syrian army. He needed his eyes opened. On the other hand, Elisha had perfect vision. There’s a big difference between seeing and being blind to all that is around you. As long as you follow God and live for Him, your eyes will be open and you will always be able to see.
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