My Help Comes From Above

 ‘Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them’. (2 Kings 6:6)

This story comes from the life of Elisha, when his servant was afraid because he saw the strength of the armies that were on the hillsides around them, ready to attack. But Elisha saw what the servant could not see - the heavenly armies that were present and were far mightier than the earthly armies. He asked that God would open the young man’s eyes that he might see them too.

This verse was in my daily reading and it struck a chord in me because of what I have been reading in the life of David for the past few days. The part I have been reading is the climax of the hunting down of David by Saul. Time after time, Saul seeks the whereabouts of David and sets out to kill him. And time after time God intervenes. At times it looks as if Saul has learned his lesson and repented, but not so - it starts all over again. Until it comes to a climax and Saul overreaches himself - he consults a medium and then word comes from God that he is about to be defeated in battle and killed. 

What struck me as I read is the way in which we find that David does not give in to fear and discouragement in this long and weary conflict with Saul and neither does he take the battle into his own hands. Each time there is an escape, he must surely have hoped that the tide had turned and there was coming a change - and then Saul renews his attacks. But David kept following God, believing that his life was in God’s hands - not Saul’s hands. And ultimately the power of Saul was broken and David moves forward in his life and his calling.

At times, life can be wearisome and there seems to be no moving forward but if we look heavenward we will see that God is with us to strengthen us and carry us through and, like David, we do not need to give in to negative thinking. We will perhaps go further and see what Elisha saw - the armies of heaven are around us and there can be victory for the children of God if we keep looking into the spiritual world, and not the world around us. And I love the fact that God opened the eyes of the servant that he too saw the spiritual powers that were protecting them. So, even if you feel you are a very lowly person in the kingdom of God He can open your eyes that you, too, might see!

Lord, help us look into your world and find the strength, the encouragement and the hope that is there for every child of God!

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Jennifer Jack