FAITH TO MEET OUR FEARS (6 OF 52)
Scripture: 2nd Kings 6:15-23
This content is part of a series.
Faith to Meet Our Fears (6 of 52)
Series: Discipleship Part 3
Christopher B. Harbin
2nd Kings 6:15-23
It is easy to talk about having faith. It is even easier when we boil that faith down to repeating a set of mantras and creeds we can repeat without conscious thought. We all too easily distill faith into verses of Scripture, memorized prayers, statements of faith, and creeds, often without processing what those words mean. It is quite another thing to allow faith to transform our lives and lift us out of the despair, fear, and uncertainties that too often drive our actions and responses to the world. When we are faced with our worst fears, is our faith lost, or does it drive us to look beyond our fears?
Everything was lost. It would seem an obvious assumption. The servant had gone out to get water first thing in the morning. Looking out beyond the city walls, he could see an enemy army surrounding them. They were cut off from supplies. They were cut off from the fields they planted and harvested. They were cut off from a future. There was no way to get out of town to safety. The wall built to protect them hemmed them in from all sides. There was no hope left. There was no way this could end well.
Elisha's servant turned back in haste, running to deliver the bad news. Who knew how Yahweh's prophet would respond, but there was no getting past the obvious desperation presented by the presence of the Arameans come to besiege the town with their horses, chariots, and soldiers. They were there to capture Elisha. The townspeople were as good as dead. They could not even get word out of town to call for assistance from the king of Israel. There was no escape.
''Master, what shall we do? We are surrounded by an army with horses and chariots. They have come to capture us, and there is no escape!''
Elisha did not seem to be quite as concerned. Death was staring them all in the face, but Elisha was unmoved. He did not appear very bothered by an army besieg ...
Series: Discipleship Part 3
Christopher B. Harbin
2nd Kings 6:15-23
It is easy to talk about having faith. It is even easier when we boil that faith down to repeating a set of mantras and creeds we can repeat without conscious thought. We all too easily distill faith into verses of Scripture, memorized prayers, statements of faith, and creeds, often without processing what those words mean. It is quite another thing to allow faith to transform our lives and lift us out of the despair, fear, and uncertainties that too often drive our actions and responses to the world. When we are faced with our worst fears, is our faith lost, or does it drive us to look beyond our fears?
Everything was lost. It would seem an obvious assumption. The servant had gone out to get water first thing in the morning. Looking out beyond the city walls, he could see an enemy army surrounding them. They were cut off from supplies. They were cut off from the fields they planted and harvested. They were cut off from a future. There was no way to get out of town to safety. The wall built to protect them hemmed them in from all sides. There was no hope left. There was no way this could end well.
Elisha's servant turned back in haste, running to deliver the bad news. Who knew how Yahweh's prophet would respond, but there was no getting past the obvious desperation presented by the presence of the Arameans come to besiege the town with their horses, chariots, and soldiers. They were there to capture Elisha. The townspeople were as good as dead. They could not even get word out of town to call for assistance from the king of Israel. There was no escape.
''Master, what shall we do? We are surrounded by an army with horses and chariots. They have come to capture us, and there is no escape!''
Elisha did not seem to be quite as concerned. Death was staring them all in the face, but Elisha was unmoved. He did not appear very bothered by an army besieg ...
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