Day 11: Night Vision

2 Kings 6:17: (KJV) “And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”

While waiting to offer the evening prayer, I looked out into the expanse of night to watch helicopter flight operations from the bridge. I did not see an aircraft but only a blinking light or two. The darkness at sea can be all-encompassing. Then the ship’s navigator allowed me to view those same operations with night-vision goggles. What a difference—the dusk of the unknown became known.

Elisha’s servant faced such a time in 2 Kings 6. He looked out into the darkness of the unknown and saw only that which his naked eye could see: difficult problems that made the possibility of victory unattainable. Then God’s own navigator prayed that God would aid his vision with the night-vision goggles of faith. Elisha’s servant was able to see that his did not stand alone. In fact, he had more on his side than he could have imagined.

Don’t become dismayed about the obstacles you face—especially if you have not prayed. Prayer may reveal that things are not as bleak as they seem. In fact, rather than facing trouble, you may have your problem on the run. Remember:

When in the night of struggle, life is too dark to see our way;
Turn to him who, through prayer, can make the darkness day.
Pray: Lord, open my spiritual eyes so that I can clearly see;
All the blessings and protection your love provides for me!

Questions to Consider:

• What are some things that cloud our vision?
• How has prayer assisted you in seeing God’s will more clearly?
• Do you have spiritual leaders, like the navigator, who assist you?
• If yes, name some. If the answer is no, why not?

Reflection for the Day:

• Find a quiet place and ask God to open your spiritual eyes. Take a writing pad and record what you see.