Eyes of Faith

There's a great story in the Old Testament book of 2 Kings. In the 6th chapter, the prophet Elisha sends word to the king of Israel regarding the Arameans who were at war with Israel. The king of Aram kept trying to catch Israel off guard but every time he attacked, Elisha warned the King of Israel who was prepared for them. The king of Aram finally tracked Elisha down in Dothan and sent his forces to surround the city and capture Israel's prophet. By morning Elisha's servant walked outside and saw that an army of chariots and horses had surrounded the city. He cried out to Elisha, "Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?"

Elisha replied, "Don't be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." Then Elisha prayed, "Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see." And the Bible says when he opened his eyes he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. Elisha went onto pray and God struck the Aramean army blind. Elisha had spiritual eyes, but his servant didn't.

Now I know the skeptics and cynics among us are going, "Please don't tell me you actually believe this happened?" Sure do! In fact, I know people who see stuff like this all the time. Okay, maybe not on as big a scale as chariots of fire, but they still see the hand of God, or His activity and involvement in our world. Believe it or not, there are people who profess to follow Christ that doubt this still happens. Amazing the number of people who profess belief in a living God, but think He stopped miraculously moving in our world after the Apostles died. If you read and follow Scripture doesn't that just make you laugh? Because if it's true then we're wasting a lot of time in prayers of intercession, times of fasting, meditation and prayer. These 21st Century folks are just as blind as Elisha's servant. I see God's hand every day and I shudder to think how many times I miss it because of periods of spiritual blindness.

Do you see God in your world, family, work, life and play? Our church has many human shortcomings, but one thing I can say with confidence rooted in experience, I regularly see the hand and signs of God moving within our faith community. Too many times God has revealed His faithfulness, comfort, protection, provision and care through the lives of my fellow strugglers and our little faith community.

It's tempting to criticize (I hope this didn't come off that way) the skeptics and doubters, but what if we treated them the way Elisha treated his servant? What if we spent more time praying for their spiritual vision, or relationship with God than trying to argue whether or not we've actually seen this stuff, or that it still happens in our world? Give thanks to God if you've got one of these individuals in your life. Ask Him to show you how to relate to them. Ask Him to give them eyes to see and faith to believe. Of course faith is believing in what we cannot see, but it sure does help when you can see the activity and hand of God in your life. Don't expect people without faith to see with eyes of faith. Ask God to help them see. He does it because He has helped me develop eyes of faith.