Have you ever felt overwhelmed, felt like the odds were just stacked against you, and what you needed to do was just too much for you? I have felt this way at times. Life can be tough out there all alone. Looking for a job, going through a divorce, fighting addiction, struggling with cancer, maybe just trying to make it through another day, all can be great battles in our lives. Sometimes we feel as though we have it worse than the next guy, and maybe we do at times, but we might just need to change our outlook. Let’s look at 2 Kings 6:14-17 to get a little insight. And yes, I did say 2 Kings; it’s not all boring history. Let’s bring it to life and into our lives.
“Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “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.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha”.
Looks pretty bad doesn’t it? Elisha’s servant woke up to most of the Syrian army surrounding the city. King Ben-Hadad wanted Elisha and had sent an army to capture him. The servant frantically woke up Elisha and tells him that they are as good as dead. Keep in mind that this servant had already seen first-hand what God could, and would do, for the people of God, but he was still terrified. I love the calm and composed response from Elisha, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” The servant couldn’t really see the situation clearly; he saw with his regular eyes. Elisha saw with his eyes of faith in God, or shall we say, his God goggles. Elisha realized that one man plus God equals a majority. When Elisha prayed for the young man to see through these same God goggles, he saw the angelic army surrounding the Syrians, “the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
There are too many times in our lives when we forget about God, even when we need him most. His heavenly host is always around us just waiting for us to notice. Psalm 34:7 reminds us of this. “For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear Him.” So today, let’s all be looking for God’s power around us and notice how this is helping us through those tough times. If we put on our God goggles, I am sure we would see that “those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
God Bless!
Amen!
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