“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him (his servant). “For there’s more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. 2 Kings 6:16-17
Lord Jesus, it’s Friday, and some of us are heading into the weekend feeling surrounded by a variety of demands, depletions, joy-nibbling piranha, and yet-to-be-resolved tensions. The Apostle Paul said it well on our behalf: “Everywhere we turned, we had conflicts and disputes on the outside, and fears and dread on the inside” (2Cor.7:5).
But there’s always a greater “surrounded-ness” going on. Jesus, open our eyes to see more than a “hillside filled with horses and chariots.” Help us see your every-direction provision for us. Behind us is your finished cross and empty tomb. Above us is heaven’s occupied throne and your constant intercession. Underneath us are Abba’s everlasting arms (Deut. 33:27).
Wrapped around us is your perfect righteousness and the embrace of our Father. Inside us there’s the Spirit’s unbreakable sealing and his non-stop testimony to our belovedness as God’s children (Rom.8:16). In every nook and cranny, angels are working on our behalf—“the heirs of salvation” (Heb. 1:14). In front of us is an eternity of all things new and everything beautiful (Rev.21:1-22:6).
And, hallelujah Jesus, thank you for our friends—our various Gospel-posses. For they are the ones who are riding in “chariots of grace”—showing up, coming alongside of us, picking us up, fighting our battles with us and for us. It’s true, Jesus, “it might look like we’re surrounded, but we’re surrounded by you.” Thank you and So Very Amen.