When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my Lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Devotion based on 2 Kings 6:15-17

“Oh no, my Lord!” Have you ever felt surrounded? Have you ever taken a look around and seen so many things stacked against you—things that were so overwhelming that you instantly were filled with fear and cried out to God or anyone who would listen? Like the man in our Bible reading today, we can feel cornered. We can feel so overwhelmed by all the circumstances stacked against us.

Perhaps you woke up one morning to find yourself surrounded by a host of difficulties: the creditors were lining up to collect overdue payments; the medical tests kept coming back positive for various health issues; the text updates from family members kept informing you that your loved one’s condition is worsening by the minute; and the guilt from what you did or said kept getting heavier. We feel surrounded by trouble, and we, too, are led to cry out: “Oh no, my Lord!”

In such times, God seeks to open our eyes. The man in our Bible reading today was enabled to see angels all around him, keeping him safe. We may not see those same angels with our physical eyes, but God wants us to know they are there. More than that, he wants us to see Jesus. To see our Savior who died for us to take our sins away and who lives to make us his own and to keep us safe. Our Savior, Jesus, is alive and is constantly watching over us. He will keep his promise and send his angels to guard us in all our ways.

Prayer: