~ Eyes That See ~

[Lani]

2 Kings 6:8-17
8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?
12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.


Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes.2 Kings 6:17


In today's reading, Dothan was about to be attacked and Elisha's servant was panicking: he didn't understand why Elisha was calm. The difference between them was that Elisha could see God's power. After Elisha prayed, the servant was able to see what Elisha had been seeing - the army of God surrounding the attackers. The enemy no longer seemed so overwhelming.

How often am I like that servant - falling prey to fear and anxiety, feelings that are unfounded or are as nothing when compared to God's power? In the last few years, I have felt attacked from multiple directions. My job has been at risk; work relationships and layoffs have been stressful; my parents were diagnosed with cancer, and my children made some bad choices when faced with temptation. But through it all, we have seen God's amazing power. I still have a job; my parents are cancer survivors, and our children are now making better decisions about their lives. When I open my eyes to the amazing power of God, I have no fear.


Prayer: Dear God, grant us eyes that see your power all around us so that we do not fear enemies in this world. Amen

Prayer Focus of Day: Those struggling to see God's power

Thought for the Day: Do I act as if I see God's power?

Story shared by: R Denslow (FL)
Source: Upper Room Daily Devotional 7/24/11