The ax head floating is an interesting miracle, don’t you think? It reminds me that our God is interested in the details of our lives. Do you look for Him in the little things? There have been a number of times when I have lost something, and I have prayed for God to help me find it. I think it is a fun faith-building exercise. The most prominent memory I have of God revealing something I lost was when I could not find my kids’ school pictures. I sat down to put the photos in Christmas cards, but the pictures were not on my piano where I had left them. I prayed all day long, “God, You know exactly where these photos are, will you please tell me.” Early the next morning before I got out of bed, I prayed again, and God whispered, “They are in the dumpster. You threw them away when you sorted your mail.” I couldn’t get dressed fast enough! I quickly retrieved the bag of trash, and about a quarter of the way down, the pictures were sandwiched between a newspaper and a catalog. Jesus and I had a praise party all day long!
I love 2 Kings 6:16-17—“Don’t be afraid,” Elisha answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so 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. Open my eyes, LORD!!! Remind me continually that “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world!” (I John 4:4) Does the enemy have you feeling defeated today? Beg the LORD to open your eyes so you can see the protection He provides for your life.
I think it is very intriguing that Elisha prays three times in this passage about eyesight. First he prayed for his servant to see the army of God. Next he prayed that the enemy would be struck with blindness. Finally, after he has brought the enemy into captivity within the city walls, he prayed the LORD would open their eyes again. Do you realize Elisha is praying about spiritual sight? Do you have trouble seeing God at work around you? Pray that He will heal your spiritual eyes. We know that God is always at work (John 5:17). Ask God to show you where He is working so you can get on board.
In verses 22-23, Elisha chooses to treat the enemy with kindness. He prepared a feast for them, and they returned the favor by stopping the raids on Israel. When Aram did start raiding again, however, the king blamed it on Elisha (v 31). I don’t quite get why the man of God should be blamed, but I guess kings need someone to be the scapegoat when things go wrong.
Verses 26-29 describe a desperate woman in desperate times. Girls, we should be grateful each morning when we rise out of our soft, warm beds to select an outfit from a crowded closet before eating a breakfast from a full cupboard. We have never truly known desperate times. I selfishly pray that Jesus will return before we have to face such devastation. LORD, come quickly!
Did you notice that as soon as the king sent a messenger to find Elisha, then the LORD lifted the siege? That makes me ponder. Would God have lifted the oppression sooner if the king had consulted Elisha sooner? What nastiness could I avoid if I would seek guidance from the Holy Spirit sooner rather than later?
Wouldn’t you love to watch the movie of the four men with leprosy who discovered the deserted Aramean camp? I can smell their fear as they approached the camp ready to surrender their lives because of their desperation for food. Then I can feel their jubilation when it dawns on them that the enemy is scattered and the bounty is theirs. Woohoo! I am so proud of the men for deciding not to keep the secret to themselves. You know they had every right to be greedy. Their society had abandoned them as leprous outcasts. These men had every reason to hoard all the blessings. But they chose instead to be men of integrity, men who did the right thing even when it cost them everything. Let’s be people like that! Let’s be people who share the goodness of God with everyone we meet rather than keeping the best for ourselves.
I sure hope the king rewarded those guys.
Right On! Thank you for the part regarding the healing of our spiritual eyes. I definitely needed to read that. When God really starts spending time working on details in our lives, it can become hard to see how He is working. I am very much guilty of letting my spiritual eyesight fade.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Chris. I think your blog today about applying God's Word to our lives tag teams well with this very thing. I encourage my readers to read Chris's blog post. http://straightouttadallas.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-must-apply-it.html
ReplyDeleteI get so caught up in the world around me that I forget to REALLY keep my eyes on God. I read the bible, I read devotionals, I pretty much do what I can to be in Gods word, but I don't keep my eyes opened or fixed where God wants me to be. There is so many distractions! I want to share a devotional with you that reminded me of what we are studying (hang in there with me it is long)
ReplyDeleteSatan is a deceiver, leading our minds astray. He is both cunning and subtle, and the more undetected his work remains, the less we'll be able to resist him. One of the great dangers of a generational yoke, for example, is that it blends in so well with the rest of our lives and families.
Beth Moore goes on to say that,
one day her and her husband were walking down a path and suddenly her husband stopped her, "Don't move!" Keith yelled. There was a huge copperhead curled up on the path just a few feet ahead of them. Beth says that Keith saw the snake because he is a hunter. Keith has an eye for camouflaged creatures. And that we should also!
Our eyes deceive us sometimes, I didn't even think to pray for spiritual eye sight. Gods word does live, it just amazes me that we can never stop learning!
I agree, Hilary! I have been on this Christian journey for more than 30 years now, and I learn something new every time I read God's Word. It is truly living and active. No other book in the world speaks directly to our lives like God's Living Word!!
ReplyDelete