.png)
By: Vera Grimmius
You may listen to this devotion in audio form via podcast here.
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Are you like me? Sometimes I can feel so strong in my faith and sure of God’s presence and other times I feel weak and unsure. I was having one of those weak moments not long ago. Thinking about God and all his promises, but not feeling them because I was having a hard time imagining God’s heavenly kingdom and therefore it was hard to fathom. In my Bible reading I happened to be up to 2 Kings 6. I love all the stories surrounding Elijah and then Elisha. What amazing prophets of God they both were, yet I love their humanness too.
Back to the lesson God had for me that day; a king from Aram is trying his best to attack Israel but every time he goes to attack, the king of Israel is waiting for him. Very frustrated, the king yells at his officials and asked, “Who is the one on the side of the king of Israel!?” They answer, “No one sir, it is Elisha, the prophet of God who tells the king of Israel what you say in your bedroom!” (2 Kings 6:11-12)
This whole story makes me giggle, the king of Aram decides to find out where Elisha is and sends a huge army to capture him. That is when Elisha’s servant gets up and sees this whole army surrounding the city. He panics (as most of us would) and asks, “What shall we do?” Elisha answers with the words in the above verse – “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Elisha prayed and his servant’s eyes were opened to see this angelic army on horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha. (2 Kings 6:17) As I read this, I was convicted of not having faith to believe in the invisible things of God always out there surrounding us in power. I decided it was time to keep my eyes of faith sharp, claiming the assurance God provides so powerfully in His Word. I was given incredible peace that day.
At this point in the story, you might think Elisha would ask God to let this heavenly army send fire from heaven to destroy the enemy army. After all God’s army was in chariots of fire! No, instead Elisha prays for the Lord to blind them and then leads them to the king of Israel locking them in the city of Samaria, Israel’s capital at the time. Israel’s king wonders if he should kill this army. Once again Elisha saves the army and tells the king of Israel you must feed them and send them home. So, the king of Israel made a great feast for them. It tells us the fighting stopped for some time. (2 Kings 6:23) I love this story!
What it did for me was remind me of the meaningful words of Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. I often feel like Elisha’s servant and worry about life and how I will manage when all along God doesn’t want me to manage anything. He calls me to believe and trust that he is indeed there with his armies of fire. We may not see them yet, but they are there none the less. It also points to loving our enemies and watching what God will do.
My prayer for myself and for all who read this are the words of Psalm 67:
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us – so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you. The land yields its harvest, God, our God, blesses us. May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Amen and Amen!