“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.” 2 Kings 6:17, NIV.
Life is very hard at times. Very few people, if any, get through an entire lifetime unscathed by the elements of this fallen world. Sometimes, we must suffer the consequences of our own actions but other times, we must endure the ravages of illness or the uninvited collateral damage resulting from the actions of those around us. These, by no means, make up an exhaustive list of how our circumstances might cause us pain and heartbreak but they are enough to make the point.
Without getting into the nitty-gritty, suffice it to say, that my family is going through some of our hardest challenges now. I told a friend recently that it feels like we are in a horrible reality program that never comes to an end. Another statement I have made to people who question why God would allow the circumstances is that God does not owe me anything. While this is indeed a true statement, the words might lead someone hearing them to think that God is indifferent to our pain, or worse, that He is nothing more than a Deist who put us on earth and then exited, leaving us to fend for ourselves. So, let me set the record straight here and now. God does not owe me anything because He has given me everything!
The Scripture in 2 Kings leading into this writing is evidence that when we feel hemmed in by “the enemy” or an enemy like sickness or something else that is overwhelming, God is with us even if we cannot see Him. The next time you wonder, “where is God?” during your pain and suffering, I ask God to open your eyes to see His provision. The picture of Jesus on the cross reveals God in His grace; the empty tomb reveals God at His best for our good and His glory and this “reality program” offers the hope of eternity.