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5th September 2024
ThursdayReflection
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"Darryl Dash offers"
pastor of Grace Fellowship Church
East Toronto
"Hope in a Time of Crisis
(2 Kings 6:8-23)"
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Big Idea: God's people are often in trouble, but God is kind and has all the resources they need.
We've barely begun to recover from the global pandemic, and we're facing a new series of crises that can make life difficult.
Let me introduce you to one of the men who served as a prophet in Israel a long time ago.
His name was Elisha.
He succeeded Elijah. He lived 3,000 years ago.
He performed miracles like bringing a child back to life, multiplying a widow's jar of oil, healing Naaman from leprosy, making iron float on water, and more.
Just a reminder: we tend to think that a prophet is someone who predicts the future.
Prophets sometimes did that, but that wasn't their primary role.
Prophets spoke on behalf of God.
They called people back to the way God had called them to live.
Elisha didn't live in an easy time.
Israel is going downhill.
Soon Israel will be exiled, and after that Judah.
By the time Jesus arrives, Israel is a small outpost in the vast Roman Empire.
There's hardly a time that Israel isn't in a state of crisis.
When you open the Bible and find Israel being raided by Syria yet again, you could say that it's just another day in the life of God's people.
Read the end of the book of Hebrews and you discover what happened to some of God's servants.
Being part of God's people does not exempt us from being in trouble.
In fact, God uses the suffering to shape us and make us more like Jesus.
What did Israel deserve at this time?
Nothing. They were on a downward path, worshiping idols and neglecting God.
What reason did God have to come to Israel's aid in the middle of being attacked by the Syrians?
They certainly didn't deserve it.
Elisha the prophet would warn the king of Israel.
"Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there."
Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice.
This is extraordinary.
Imagine if every time Putin made war plans, Zelensky already knew about it.
Why would God be so kind to Israel?
Certainly not because they deserved it, but because it's in God's nature to be kind to his people because he is good and gracious.
Imagine if God treated us as we deserve?
We can come to Jesus knowing that he's inclined to come to our aid.
He will not turn us away. He loves to help his people.
Let me give you one example from more recent history.
In the 1970s, many Christians in China worshiped in house churches.
They had to change locations often to avoid crackdowns.
When caught, the leaders would be arrested and sent to labour camps.
At one meeting, those present had a very strong sense of Christ's love and the Spirit's presence.
As the meeting concluded, a group of five unidentified individuals revealed themselves as undercover government agents and declared their intention to make arrests.
But they'd had a change of heart and wanted to believe.
God loves to thwart the plans of the enemies of God's people and show his grace to people who don't deserve it.
We're often in trouble.
We certainly don't deserve God's help.
But God loves to be gracious.
Have you come to God, even though you don't deserve it, and experienced his grace and help?
I hope so. He will not turn you away.
You can come today and he will help you.
God's people are often in trouble, but God is kind.
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This is an edited version.
The full article is avaiable on request
Scroll down for the continuation of this discussion.
"Darryl Dash"
I'm the pastor of Grace Fellowship Church East Toronto. Canada
I love learning, writing, and encouraging.
I'm on a lifelong quest to become a humble, gracious old man.
I started DashHouse.com way back in 1999.
I earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary under Haddon Robinson.
More
There's one more thing we see.
As you can imagine, the king of Syria was annoyed that his plans kept being leaked to Israel.
I'd be frustrated too.
He went looking for the problem and discovered that it was Elisha.
So the king knew what to do: get rid of Elisha, and he could attack Israel by surprise.
So in verse 14 we read,
"So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city."
The mission: to eradicate Elisha.
When Elisha's servant got up the next day, he freaked out.
Who wouldn't? Elisha.
Elisha was not freaked out at all.
He said, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, please open his 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.
(2 Kings 6:16-17)
Sure enough, God saved Elisha from those sent to kill him.
And Elisha treated them kindly.
He fed them and sent them away.
Even the enemies of God and his people were treated more graciously than they deserved.
Here's the lesson: God has all the resources we need.
We just don't have eyes to see them.
We need to pray this too:
Lord, open our eyes to see your presence, your care, your power.
If we could only see.
But we can.
God answered Elisha's prayer and opened the eyes of his servant.
God is ready to open our eyes as well to see the resources he has prepared for us.
God's people are often in trouble, but God is kind and has all the resources they need.
And so, Lord, please open our eyes.
Give us eyes to see.
And may we hope in you and then fear nothing else.
We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
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