Eye Trouble

     Last week I needed to have my vision checked.  I had been seeing floating black spots and peripheral flashes of light in the vision of my right eye.  The technical term for this in the world of optical medicine is 'floaters and flashers'.  Thank the Lord, all checked out ok but these symptoms could have meant a detached retina, a threat to loss of vision.  Loss of vision at any level is a scary thought.  But we can have 20/20 vision and still have spiritual blind spots to the presence and work of God.
     The Arameans, Israel's enemy, surrounded the city of Dothan in an effort to capture the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 6:8-20).  Elisha's servant was predictably frightened when he saw the overwhelming force of horsemen and chariots surrounding the city.  "What shall we do?", he asked the prophet.  Elisha replied, "Don't be afraid.  Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."  The servant must have thought, "With us?  There's nobody here but us!"  Then Elisha turned to the Lord in prayer, "Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see."  When God opened the servant's eyes he was able to 'see' what Elisha had meant.  "The hills full of horses and chariots of fire. . ." (6:17).  When Elisha prayed for his servant to have 20/20 spiritual vision, God made His army visible to him.  Elisha and his servant were NOT alone.
     Neither are we.  That is what the empty tomb reminds us of.  When the forces against us seem overwhelming and situations seem hopeless, may God open our 'eyes', the eyes of faith, so that we may 'see' the power of God that raised Jesus from the grave and be encouraged.