It's not Just a Phrase

Scripture:
"O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." 2 Kings 6:16

Observation:
I can’t even begin to calculate the number of times that I have heard this phrase used in church. So many prayers have included it. So many songs have sung it. So many sermons have preached it. It is used with such frequency and tossed about so flippantly that the power of it is robbed as it becomes yet another wave in the sea of phrases and empty clichés created by the Christian religion.

But this morning has renewed my sense of awe at the power of this type of prayer. In this chapter, Elisha is in a really tough spot. A situation unlike any I have ever known. He is surrounded by chariots. The king of Aram had literally sent an army to capture him. Elisha's servant had come unglued and was in the midst of a full fledged panic attack. But not Elisha. He saw things differently. His eyes were fixed in another dimension.

I often hear people talk of blind faith. There are even scriptures that point to the truth that we will sometimes have to apply faith to something that we can't see. As I have studied Elisha's life over the past few days even he had to walk into some situations blindly. But blind faith is not the only type of faith. There comes a point when we must return to the sea of empty phrases and take back the one associated with the opening of our eyes. It is not just a phrase. It is a way of life.

Application:
I get tired of walking through life as a blind man with regards to the things of God. I am definitely not blind to worldly desires. No, they are prominently displayed before me everywhere I go. But the things of God can feel at times like they are hidden. It is easy to accept this as the way it has to be, but that does not necessarily mean that it is the right way. So what is God trying to teach me this morning? There are a few things that I think I can learn from Elisha.

First, Elisha walked through life with a man greater than he was. A man named Elijah. Elijah followed God's command and mentored Elisha. There are things in life that I will face for the first time, but there is nothing in life I will face that someone else has not already experienced. I need to be in relationship with seasoned men of God and I need to observe how they handle life. I can then draw strength and confidence from these men. Mentoring is an essential first step in removing the blinders from my eyes and seeing first hand how God works.

Second, Elisha dealt with his doubts. Elisha did not just live off the faith of Elijah, he put it into effect in his own life. In 2 Kings 2:14 Elisha asks where is the God of Elijah and then copies what he had seen Elijah do when the Jordan split and they crossed over. God responds and splits the Jordan river for him, just as he did for Elijah. In essence, Elisha moved from living on the faith of his mentor to living off of his own faith in God.

Third, Elisha walked with God in everyday life. As I read through the first few chapters of 2 Kings I see Elisha just walking around, doing everyday life with God. He paid attention to what God was doing around him and joined Him as the opportunity arose. God did many miracles and as a result he built a history with God. A history he could look back on for strength and courage. Then when the stakes were raised and the situation worsened, Elisha did not have to start with nothing in building up the faith needed.

Finally, Elisha learned to proactively seek God's voice. There are many times in 2 Kings where Elisha knew what was coming well in advance of it actually taking place. He did not wait before he sought after God. He listened to Him daily. The LORD revealed things to him in the spirit.

Prayer:
My eyes need to be opened to the things that happen in the spiritual world around me. I pray this morning that You lead me to a man of Yours who is older than me and able to serve as a model of what You want to do in my life. You have been gracious to me in my past by allowing older men to invest in me, I pray that continues in my future.

I also pray that You help me deal with my doubts and fears. My abuse of prayer and faith has really taken a toll on me. I put my faith in many things that were not of You. I thought they were, but they were actually just things that I wanted. Nevertheless, I am left with the wounds of failed faith and this has opened me up to many doubts. I ask that You guide me in dealing with these doubts so that I may stand firm in the things that You call me to face.

Help me to learn what it means to walk with You. As I go through my day, I pray that you enter my everyday life and begin to build a strong history of You working through me. Open my eyes and ears to see and hear Your work around me. I want more than anything to join You in those things and see Your great hand move.

Finally, I ask that you literally open my eyes and ears. I want to hear You and see You. Not to get out of trouble or advance my own agenda, but because I am tired of living life for me. I want to live for You. I want the assurance that comes from a life of walking with You. Speak to me today in a voice that is unmistakable and begin to shape my world around what it is You desire to accomplish through me.