2 Kings 6:15-17

"And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! How shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."

The king of Syria decided to attack Israel. As the king made his plans, the prophet Elisha told them to the king of Israel. Of course, the king of Syria wanted to know how his plans were being leaked. One of his servants knew that Elisha was the culprit, and said so. After making a search they discovered that Elisha was in the city of Dothan. So, the king of Syria ordered his troops to surround the city at night. In the morning Elisha's servant awoke, as did all of the city, to find themselves surrounded. What a predicament! Elisha's answer is wonderful, and one that every true believer should have written somewhere for frequent viewing; "... they that be with us are more than they that be with them." He then prays, as mentioned above, and the surrounding army was found to be themselves surrounded by horses and chariots of fire! As the story goes on, the troops are struck with blindness, and Elisha tells them to follow him to find the one for whom they are searching. He then walked them back to their own city.

Elisha's seemingly precarious situation was under the mighty hand of God. Nothing could have been a hazard to him. And so it is with true believers in the LORD. Scripture tells us of many who were in fearful situations. And what they felt about them is the same as what we would. What would be our sense of things were we to lose as much as Job did? How would we feel if, like the Israelites at the Red Sea, we saw that we were being approached by a mighty army. Their feelings did not change their standing, neither did they keep God from acting.

The wonderful thing that is hereby shown is God's faithfulness to His people. Elisha was in no danger from the king of Syria. Though the largest army of the time were to surround him, yet was he in the hands of the LORD God Almighty. Notice the end of verse 17, "... round about Elisha." In Hebrews 13:5 God promises us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Hebrews 6:18 reminds us that it is impossible for God to lie. Of what, then, shall we be afraid? Romans 8:31 and 32 remind us, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" And Peter tells us that we have all things that pertain to life and godliness.

What is to be our response to life's twists and turns? We should always bear in mind that God Himself is for us. Regardless of circumstances, He has not forsaken us. No matter the depths of sorrow, God is deeper still. And when the end of life on this earth comes, we are certain of eternity in His presence! What a great salvation.

"And there is no disease or no struggle that can pull you from God, be ye glad."

HJK