Thursday, June 13, 2013

Do You Have Scales On Your Eyes?


2 Kings 6:15-17 -   And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"  So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."  And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

 

Elisha …trained by the great Elijah…had a heart that could see the very love of God manifested in the things around him.  He had no longer calmed the fear of one of his student’s ….who thought he had lost a friends ax head…than he had to counsel his own servant. The servant was afraid that they would lose the battle that was to happen that day….when he saw the many soldiers surrounding the city. So Elisha prayed for God to open his eyes ….so he could see the chariots of fire that surrounded the army that waited to attack them.

 

Sometimes our fears grip us so solidly that we fail to open our eyes to the protection and provision of the father. We stop thinking with our heart…the one that we gave to God…and begin to let satan manipulate us with our head. Then our head rationalizes and twists the love of God into forgetting the power God has to take care of our needs.  The fear grows scales over our eyes….and keeps us from seeing and feeling the great power of God in our lives. 

 

I sure need to pray like Elisha…that God open my eyes to the chariots of fire around me….so I can stop being held back by my own fears of failure and loneliness.  I need a fresh look at the world of hope that awaits me… so I can step out in boldness to speak about his love to others who are trapped by satan in their fears.

 

It also reminds me that having open eyes might just help me see satan coming at me the next time….and I might just recognize him for what he is…a liar …and father of confusion.  If my eyes are open….my heart will see the scales of his next ploy to take my focus off of God…and I will stand strong against his attack as I cling to the father …and hold his hand even tighter.

 

I am thinking of that blind man Jesus healed in Acts 9…you know…Saul.  His scales were so thick his heart had turned completely cold….and satan had him murdering the saints ….the ones God was raising to spread the gospel story of his sacrifice on the cross.  God had to completely blind him…..and send Ananias to pray over him.  I love the part where the scales dropped from his eyes….and his heart was completely transformed ….so that he became the new man…Paul.  The thick scales satan had covered his eyes with …..fell to the ground so Paul could see the love of God.  Oh what we could do if we allowed the scales to drop from our own eyes…and embrace the call of God to spread his love through the word of God.

 

Father…thank you for this story that reminds me that satan has controlled me long enough.  Open my eyes….and remove the scales of satan that keep me from seeing the path ahead of me.  Show me your great provisions so I do not let fear grip me….and prevent me from doing your work.  Help me to see satan coming toward me so I can call on you to strengthen and give me courage…and keep my focus on what you have placed me here to do for you. Amen.

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