Loved When I’m Blind to His Provisions
“When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17-20 NIV)
Have you ever been there? Backed in a corner. Limited resources. Out of answers. Outnumbered. Odds against you. Facing impending doom. On the verge of absolute destruction. If so, you can sympathize with Elisha’s young servant. The enemy had them surrounded, and from the eye test, it looked like they were sure to die.
The beauty of this story is not just that there were heavenly angels standing ready to fight for God’s people. It is also miraculous that they were willing to fight on behalf of God’s people. The best part of this story is that the heavenly army was in place before the servant could comprehend their presence! Seconds before, he was trembling in fear. He was unsure how he was going to make it out of the predicament alive. It was all but over. That is before he saw his Divine help.
Can you see how he walked and talked differently after getting a glimpse of his back up? God’s love is present in the text before it was seen with human eyes. At Elisha’s request, God revealed what had been in place all along. While we are not always able to see our divine convoy of angels, God promises that He will never leave or forsake us. God uses this story to remind His people that He is in place even before we pray. He is at the ready the resources of favor just for those that are willing to see beyond the natural. To trust that God will never leave or forsake His people. Elisha understood that the servant needed a little confirmation, so he asked God to lift the veil. You may be saying, “I want to see beyond the veil. I want to look at my guardian angel too!” While that isn’t always possible, God does promise that He is with us.
What do we do in times of trouble when our backs are against the wall, and we have no one to turn to? We continue to trust God! The Bible does not sugarcoat the fact that the devil wants to steal, kill, and destroy. David said, “He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalms 91:1). It is residing there and in the peace of God that we find protection.
Remember that God loves (and has sent His angels ready to fight for you) even when you can’t see it!
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” (Psalm 34:7 NIV)
Thought Questions:
- How would your actions differ if you could see angels around you to protect you?
- How can your faith increase when you move forward without seeing angels, but believe they are there simply because the Bible said so?
