October 29 Limited View

 2 Kings 5:7-8 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me." 8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel." 

HAS someone ever asked an "impossible" of you? Perhaps it is a deadline you can't meet. Maybe it is providing some funds you have no access to offer. Possibly it is to enter into some long term agreement that will cause you great worry and fear. Your reaction to the "impossible" is often anger and dismay, isn't it? You feel the other person is attacking you or forcing you into a conflict. You wonder, "Why is he doing this to me?"

           That's the response of Israel's king as Naaman handed to him the message from Syria's king regarding Naaman's leprosy. We don't precisely know what the king wrote, but certainly it referred to the hope of Naaman's healing. The king of Israel responded with anger. He felt threatened. He apparently believed the King of Syria would hold him responsible for Naaman's health. Certainly Israel's king knew he could not heal Naaman. As a consequence he felt a great threat.        

           Then Elisha steps in to call the king to faith. In essence Elisha says, "So you have an 'impossible' before you. What is the purpose of being afraid or in distress? Don't you know there is a God in Heaven who can do the 'impossibles'? Do not fear and be dismayed. Send the man to me. I will show to him God's magnificent mercy."

           Focusing our own view on the "impossibles" of life will cause us to know fear, worry and distress. Giving our "impossibles" to God, though, will give us peace. The Bible clearly tells us our God is One who gives us a way out of our deep distress and into his high peace.

Prayer: Father in Heaven, I give the "impossibles" of my life to you. Grant me faith to "Let the peace of Christ rule in (my) heart, to which indeed you were called me." (Colossians 3:15)