A Prayer for the Overwhelmed

And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (2 Kings 6:17).

For me, any mention of “chariots of fire” immediately conjures up images from the movie of the same title: the familiar theme song, slow motion footage of young aristocratic Brits running on the beach, the sacred stone structures of Oxford. I liked the movie – but it places a distant second to this scene from 2 Kings 6.

The King of Aram is in a rage because the Israelites seem to know his every move. He’s convinced there’s a leak from within his own ranks. He gathers his officers for an inquisition – quick trial, speedy execution. “Don’t look at us,” they protest. “It’s the prophet Elisha. He tells the King of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

After determining that the prophet is in Dothan, the King of Aram sends an army – horses, chariots, the works – to seize the prophet. This fact alone is amusing and worth pondering. An army sent to take a prophet (I take further delight that he was a bald prophet according to 2 Kings 2:23). The Arameans go by night and surround the prophet and his servant.

Early the next morning the prophet’s servant steps outside. After a yawn and a good stretch it hits him that something isn’t right – and then he sees them. Horses, chariots, soldiers, all in battle formation. The NIV rendering of the servant’s reaction is one of the great understatements of the Hebrew Scriptures. “Oh my Lord, what shall we do?” I’m no Hebrew scholar, but I can imagine that a literal translation of his words would make for some very colorful English.

Luckily, this overwhelmed servant is in the company of a man who has a keen eye for the presence of God. The prophet Elisha speaks the confident, assuring word. “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

There are seasons when we all need someone like this in our lives. We wake up one morning and find ourselves facing something overwhelming. We have no idea how to handle it, what to do, what will happen next. The problem is not a matter of belief. I think Elisha’s servant knew and believed in Elisha’s God. Sometimes, what is thrown at us eclipses our vision. When you’ve just been told that the chemo treatments will last for twelve weeks, or when you suddenly realize in the final trimester that your baby isn’t moving, or when you make the drive home after leaving your child at a rehab hospital, or when you wake up the first morning after losing your job – in these moments the question of Elisha’s servant is asked but not answered. “What will we do?”

There are plenty of people around asking that question for any number of reasons. It doesn’t require a tragedy or crisis. Sometimes the relentless demands of work and traffic and expectations and unpaid bills and ambitious pursuits can overwhelm. We need someone to remind us: “A mighty power surrounds you. This power has been given to you. Those with you are greater than what you see right now.” We need a prophet – and that doesn’t necessarily mean “preacher.” A faithful, believing friend will do just fine.

The prophet’s assuring words are backed up by a prayer. “Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” You can pray this for a friend. You can pray it for yourself. Hopefully there’s someone in your life to pray it with you and for you. The implication of the prayer is that there is something happening that I can’t see. There’s more going on than meets the eye. When we’re overwhelmed, the simple truth is that we need help. We need help to see what is really happening. The words of this prayer are significant. Most often, when we’re drowning in our own circumstances or when we know someone else who is, we pray for changed circumstances. This is valid, but it’s not enough. What we need is a capacity to see what truly surrounds us. We need the strength that comes from the host of heaven arrayed our side.

God answered Elisha’s prayer. The eyes of the servant were opened. He saw the chariots of fire all around Elisha. Whatever faces you today, may your eyes be opened in the same way.