These verses contain one of my favorite events in all of scripture. I love the interchange between Elisha and his servant. A massive, armed contingency, complete with horses and chariots, encircle Elisha's home city, ready to capture the prophet and take him to the King of Aram.
The servant saw them first. And he was scared! I would be scared. Would you? What to do ...
Elisha responded to his servant in the same manner that God so often responded to his frightened leaders. He said, "Don't be afraid." Why not? It's an incredibly frightening situation!! Because, Elisha continues, "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." (verse 16)
I can sense Elisha's calm alongside the panic in the servant's spirit. That spirit of calm is what I long to feel and exhibit in the heat of frightening circumstances. And we all have them from time to time - those horrifically huge giants that loom before us - sometimes physical health, sometimes financial, ocassionally tragedy and loss and abandonment - those giants whose shadows threaten to swallow us whole. Close your eyes and listen for the whisper of God ... "Don't be afraid. I am with you. You do not face this one alone. I am bigger and stronger than this crisis. Don't be afraid."
Then Elisha prays ... not for strength, not for protection ... he prays that his servant's eyes can be opened to see reality. And God responds. Opens his eyes. I think that actually needs to be our continual prayer for ourselves. Open our eyes, Lord, and let us see what is real and what is temporary illusion. I think we would be amazed if we could see into the spiritual realm. Open our eyes ...
Then we observe the enemy army blinded ... led into the very capital of Israel ... delivered to the king of Israel. Killed? No. Put into a prison camp? No. They are treated to a great feast! Now where is the logic in that? Only our Lord would do something like that. Only Jehovah. A feast when bread and water is deserved. Honor when punishment is deserved. Only God. Are you beginning to see yourself in this scene? From the Renovare' Spiritual Formation Bible: "This feast is one of those still points in history, a foretaste of a world thoroughly transformed by God. For the Church, this foretaste is also the Eucharist, a meal that allows us to stock our experience and imagination with powerful images of hospitality and peace."
A picture of what is to come ... a reminder of grace and mercy.
Close your study time today reflecting on the words of another prophet, Isaiah, as he foretells ...
"On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food
for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine - the best of meats and the
the finest of wines. On this mountain He will destroy the shroud
that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations;
He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe
away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of His
people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken."
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