Elisha was a famously pugnacious prophet.  (Some boys made fun of him for being bald-headed so he called bears to maul them.  Bald guys can be sensitive like that.)  Elisha didn’t spend all his prophetic energies settling scores with pre-pubescent boys.  He also championed the armies of Israel who were being regularly attacked by the Arameans. 

The Arameans found Elisha to be a hindrance to their designs so they decided that they would pursue Elisha personally, to hunt him down and kill him.  At one point it looked like they had him.  Elisha’s servant went out one morning to pick up the morning paper and grab a latte, as usual.  As he looked around the neighborhood, he saw the town was surrounded by the Aramean army.  Totally forgetting to grab Elisha’s usual brew, the servant dashed back home to share the dread news with Elisha.  This is what Elisha said:

“Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than there are there with them.”  (2 Kings 6:16) Then Elisha prayed that his servant might be able to see the situation as it really was.  God opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant.  In that moment, he was able to see horses and chariots of fire protecting God’s prophet.

Today you may feel like you are surrounded by forces that are arrayed against you; or you might feel like you are utterly forgotten and alone; or you may feel powerless to face the challenges that await you.  Take heart; there are more on your side than you realize.

Prayer:  God of mercy and might, open the eyes of your servants that we might behold your loving and powerful presence surrounding us today.  Amen.