Beyond the eyes
“…prayed and said, “Lord open his eyes that he may see.” (NKJV) 2 Kings 6:17a
It is natural to make decisions based on what we see. “Seeing is believing” is the succinct expression. The one who accidentally faces danger, by mere sight, will initiate some safety measures without delay. In the mist of hostility we sway towards alertness and in times of approval, we feel secured.
The use of the eyes has however attracted a handful of observations that can be gleaned from the Good Book: God saw that it was good (Gen.1:10b, 12b, 18b, 21b, 25b, 29a), Eve saw that the tree was good for food (Gen.3:6), Job made a covenant with his eyes not to look at a young lady (Job 31:1), Stephen saw the Heavens opened (Acts7:56). Thomas the Twin, that pragmatist, will not accept the testimony of the resurrected Lord till he sees with his own eyes (John 20:25)
Like the Syrians plotting much insecurity by making war against Israel (2 Kings 6:8) in the 580 BCs, so are contemporary times full of intimidations and machinations against us. We see great economies crushing to the ground, the outbreak of deadly infections like Ebola, airplanes getting lost on the high seas, extremists that aim at total annihilation of persons and their counter-perspectives, poverty, the popularization of “I do not need God to be good”, the reign of relativism, etc.
The situation took a different turn when Elisha prayed that his servant may see (2 Kings 6:17). Indeed the young man began to see that fear was not necessary: for those who were with them are more than the Arameans (2 Kings 6:16, emphasis added). That assurance was missing till they committed the situation to the Lord in prayer.
Similarly, Christians must also go beyond the first “seeing”-which can easily elude us. As stated by Winston Churchill during a time of war “Now this is not the end. It is not the beginning. But it is perhaps, the end of the beginning”. We can also echo the end of the beginning of what we see by surrendering every threat and fear to the Lord while we avail ourselves to HIM fully. The sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man will then couple to produce great end. Yes, our surrender to God proves our confidence that ALL things pertaining to life and godliness has been given to us (2 Pet. 1:3). The Lord is faithful.