2 Kings 6:12-18: a reflection

12One of his servants said, “No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13He said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” He was told, “Behold, he is in Dothan.” 14Therefore he sent horses, chariots, and a great army there. They came by night and surrounded the city. 15When the servant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16He answered, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, please open his eyes, that he may see.” the LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha. 18When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” He struck them with blindness according to Elisha’s word.

When the king of Syria sends an army by night to capture Elisha, the prophet's servant rises in the morning to find the city surrounded by horses and chariots, and cries out in fear, Alas, my master! What shall we do? But Elisha is unafraid: Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Then he prays, LORD, open his eyes that he may see. And God opens the servant's eyes, and he sees the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. The unseen forces of God far outnumbered the visible enemy.

Notice the difference between what the servant saw and what was actually there. His eyes showed him only the enemy army, and he was afraid, seeing only the threat. But the reality, unseen to him, was that God's own forces surrounded them, greater than the enemy, protecting them. The servant's fear came from seeing only part of the picture; the fuller reality, the unseen host of God, would have changed everything, if only he could see it.

That is a picture of the reality we so often miss. Like the servant, we tend to see only the visible threats, the dangers, difficulties, and enemies that loom before us, and we are afraid. But the fuller reality is that God and his unseen resources surround his people, greater than the threats we see. When you are gripped by fear at the visible dangers before you, pray Elisha's prayer: Lord, open my eyes that I may see. Ask God to help you see beyond the visible threat to the greater, unseen reality of his presence and protection. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them; the God who surrounds you is greater than all that you fear.

Lord, when Elisha's servant saw only the enemy army and was afraid, Elisha prayed, open his eyes that he may see, and you showed him the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire; the unseen forces of God far outnumbered the visible threat. When I am gripped by fear at the visible dangers before me, seeing only the threats and difficulties that loom, pray this prayer in me: open my eyes that I may see. Help me look beyond the visible to the greater, unseen reality of your presence and protection surrounding me. Those who are with me are more than those against me. Give me eyes to see that you, who surround me, are greater than all that I fear.