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2 Kings 6:15-17    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?” [Gehazi] asked.  “Don’t be afraid,” [Elisha] 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.

If we were more aware of the spiritual forces available to us to deal with the daily struggles in our lives we would pray more and worry less.  But we are too like Elisha’s servant.

Gehazi was panic-stricken: the whole Syrian army had them surrounded in Dothan and they had no forces and no weapons; their fate was sealed.  We can sometimes find ourselves in a situation like this when we feel overwhelmed by our circumstances – our workload, our health, our financial needs, our relationships.  We feel ‘trapped’, with no way of escape.

And, like Gehazi, our biggest problem is that we are only looking with our physical eyes and therefore we only see part of the reality.  No, it wouldn’t have taken Gehazi long to count ‘those who are with us’ – TWO; and it would not have been hard for him to estimate that ‘an army of horses and chariots’ was considerably more than two.

Lord, open our eyes that we may see the full picture, that we may see that ‘those who are with us are more than those who are with them’.  ”The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).  “I will trust my Saviour, Jesus, when my darkest doubts befall; trust him when to simply trust him seems the hardest thing of all.  I will trust my Saviour, Jesus, trust him when my strength is small, for I know the shield of Jesus is the safest place of all.  Jesus, only Jesus, help me trust you more and more; Jesus, only Jesus, may my heart be ever yours” (CityAlight Music).

– Bruce Christian