2 Kings 6:15-16 says, "When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, Alas my master! What shall we do? He [the man of God] said, Do not be afraid! For those who are with us are more than those who are with them" [ESV]
"Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in it's defence" - Mark Overby
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" - Psalm 46:1 [KJV]
Attending Wolmer's Boys School (the best high school in Jamaica...no debate...lol) was quite an experience for me. There were times when being a Wolmerian brought some negative attention - particularly when there were unresolved disputes between guys at our school and individuals from other boys’ schools. We were always encouraged not to wear our school colours when taking the bus home - that would make us clear targets for anyone from a rival school seeking revenge. As ignorant and crazy as it seems, this was the reality that we faced at the time. One day, as I stood by myself at the bus stop in my maroon and gold, a group of about 4 KC guys jumped out of a vehicle about 70 yards away from where I was standing. They were coming toward me with blood in their eyes and weapons in their hands. I thought to myself: "How could I be so stupid to forget to take off my school colours ?! The odds were piled against me and I pretty much made up my mind to go down swinging. Then...I heard the two most precious words I could hear at that time - "YO SMITTY!" Around the corner came a car full of friends from school who saw what was happening and sped over to my rescue. The KC guys saw them, hopped back in their vehicle and took off. I was safe! Whew :)
There's nothing like the feeling of knowing that someone has your back in a tight situation. Just seeing my schoolmates changed my perspective dramatically. The man of God - Elisha - faced grave danger in 2 Kings 6. The Syrian army was sent to kill him and they encircled the town of Dothan where he was. When his servant saw the Syrian army, he panicked....but Elisha remained calm. Elisha was able in the midst of this desperate situation to see what no one else could see. In verse 17 the Bible says, "Then Elisha prayed and said, O LORD, please open his (the servant's) eyes that he may see. So 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". The story continues: the Syrian army is struck with blindness and Elisha himself leads them away from Dothan straight to Samaria were the King of Israel and his army were waiting. WHAT A MIRACLE!
The question today is: "Am I seeing right?" Can I only see the danger, the concern, the difficulty, the problem? If so, many of us are not seeing the full picture. God is there, in the midst of your situation, making a way where there seems to be no way. Overby's quote above is so pertinent: LOVE PROTECTS! God loves you my friend - if you are a child of God, let this reality change your perspective and give you hope. Allow the words of Psalm 20:7-9 to sink in: "Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; He will answer from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we trust the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright".
What do you think?
Pastor Andrew Smith
pastorandrew@sheepherald.com
"Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in it's defence" - Mark Overby
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" - Psalm 46:1 [KJV]
Attending Wolmer's Boys School (the best high school in Jamaica...no debate...lol) was quite an experience for me. There were times when being a Wolmerian brought some negative attention - particularly when there were unresolved disputes between guys at our school and individuals from other boys’ schools. We were always encouraged not to wear our school colours when taking the bus home - that would make us clear targets for anyone from a rival school seeking revenge. As ignorant and crazy as it seems, this was the reality that we faced at the time. One day, as I stood by myself at the bus stop in my maroon and gold, a group of about 4 KC guys jumped out of a vehicle about 70 yards away from where I was standing. They were coming toward me with blood in their eyes and weapons in their hands. I thought to myself: "How could I be so stupid to forget to take off my school colours ?! The odds were piled against me and I pretty much made up my mind to go down swinging. Then...I heard the two most precious words I could hear at that time - "YO SMITTY!" Around the corner came a car full of friends from school who saw what was happening and sped over to my rescue. The KC guys saw them, hopped back in their vehicle and took off. I was safe! Whew :)
There's nothing like the feeling of knowing that someone has your back in a tight situation. Just seeing my schoolmates changed my perspective dramatically. The man of God - Elisha - faced grave danger in 2 Kings 6. The Syrian army was sent to kill him and they encircled the town of Dothan where he was. When his servant saw the Syrian army, he panicked....but Elisha remained calm. Elisha was able in the midst of this desperate situation to see what no one else could see. In verse 17 the Bible says, "Then Elisha prayed and said, O LORD, please open his (the servant's) eyes that he may see. So 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". The story continues: the Syrian army is struck with blindness and Elisha himself leads them away from Dothan straight to Samaria were the King of Israel and his army were waiting. WHAT A MIRACLE!
The question today is: "Am I seeing right?" Can I only see the danger, the concern, the difficulty, the problem? If so, many of us are not seeing the full picture. God is there, in the midst of your situation, making a way where there seems to be no way. Overby's quote above is so pertinent: LOVE PROTECTS! God loves you my friend - if you are a child of God, let this reality change your perspective and give you hope. Allow the words of Psalm 20:7-9 to sink in: "Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; He will answer from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we trust the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright".
What do you think?
Pastor Andrew Smith
pastorandrew@sheepherald.com
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