Greater Is He
Did you ever wake up to find yourself surrounded? Maybe by hungry little ones or possibly by an email that indicated new problems at work, but probably not quite like the story we read in 2 Kings 6:15-23. There we find a fascinating story of how God allowed Elisha’s servant to see things human eyes cannot see. God opened the servant’s eyes to reveal that there was truly nothing to fear. God was working ahead of Elisha, and he is working ahead of you and me as well.
Elisha had been passing on intel to the king of Israel concerning the king of Syria’s plans to defeat Israel. In frustration of Elisha’s communication both with God and with the king of Israel, the king of Syria sent an army to surround the city and take Elisha captive and eliminate his communication with the king of Israel. When Elisha’s servant woke up in the morning, he looked out the window and saw a massive army. In a moment of panic, fearing no way of escape, the servant awakened Elisha, asking what they should do. Elisha told his servant. “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
I love Elisha’s strong and clear message to his servant to not be afraid because there are more with us than those who are with them. Leadership is often lonely. There are decisions that we often must make alone and with limited information. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to see all the resources that God has deployed to help us during our times of difficulty?
The apostle Paul had a similar message from God when facing serious opposition. One night, Paul had a vision where God revealed that he should not be afraid but continue to spread the good news of Jesus because “I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” Just as Elisha’s servant wasn’t aware, the apostle Paul was not aware that God had surrounded him with all the help and protection he needed to accomplish his given assignment.
An elderly apostle John encouraged us, too. In 1 John 4:4 we read: “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” In 2 Timothy, Paul said it this way to Timothy: “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
We cannot see all that God can see, yet we know that the Lord is our shepherd, and he will guide us and follow us all throughout our journey. Often, we do not see God’s protection until after the event or difficulty has passed. But we can be confident that God is sovereign and always goes ahead of us, with us, and behind us so that we have all resources we need to accomplish the mission we have been given.
Father, we sometimes wish you would open our eyes to see who and how you have surrounded us. Today we accept by faith that even when we cannot see, your Holy Spirit in us will provide everything we need today. Help our unbelief in those moments where we are afraid. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
2 Kings 6:15-23; Acts 18:9-11; 1 John 4:4; 2 Timothy 1:7 ESV
Photo by Jaka Škrlep on Unsplash
