Believing Is Seeing

Daily Reading:  2 Kings 7

You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it. (2 Kings 7.28)

Devotional Thought: Israel was in trouble: the capital besieged by enemies, suffering and starvation widespread, resentment toward God, death threats against spiritual leaders.  Things looked hopeless.  Elisha, the prophet of God, had hope, though.  He prophesied that help was on the way!  God was about to turn things around!  The king's top aide told him he was crazy - even God couldn't get them out of this mess.  Elisha's response?  You're going to see it, but not eat it.  The next day that very thing happened as the aide was trampled underfoot by people hurrying to their deliverance.  How tragic.

Have you ever been on the outside looking in?  It happens sometimes, doesn't it?  Perhaps you've walked into a room and everybody was laughing, but you didn't know why.  (Are they laughing at me?)  Maybe you've stuck your foot in your mouth because you failed to listen to what was being said in a meeting.  (How was I to know?  Listen!)  Those times are embarrassing, but we can get over it.  When it happens spiritually, however, it can be fatal!

I've been in church services and watched as people resisted the Holy Spirit.  Though God was speaking they wouldn't listen.  All around them people were finding forgiveness and freedom, people were having their hearts filled to overflowing.  But those with hard hearts remained hungry.  And sadly, resentment would just make their hearts harder and harder and harder.

Yesterday we read about a man with a seeing problem.  God needed to open his eyes.  Today, the king's aide could see OK, but he had a heart problem.  So, even though he saw the blessing and deliverance of God, he missed out himself.  Let's not make the same mistake. 

Prayer: Lord, help me not to resist the Spirit, to refuse to believe and to miss out on your incredible blessings.  Open the eyes of my heart, Lord!

Psalm of the Day: 14.1-3

1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.

2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.

3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.