Open His Eyes, That He May See

Through two events experienced by the prophet Elisha and his servant, this passage deals with how to keep the faith and look to God in moments of crisis. First, through the miracle of raising a lost axe head out of the water, it shows that God himself saves us from a spiritual state that no human strength can pull us out of. Then, in the desperate crisis when the Aramean army surrounds the city, the servant is afraid of the enemy's visible numbers, but Elisha prays and opens the servant's eyes to see the army of heaven.

The sermon stresses that we must open our spiritual eyes and recognize God's protection, so that we are not overwhelmed by the crises we see with our physical eyes or by the world's power. It also contrasts the king of Aram, who trusted only in visible power and was defeated, with Elisha, who showed grace even to his enemies and revealed God's true character, and through this presents the call to share the grace we have freely received with our neighbors and our enemies. It points out that a life that relies not on the world's standards but on God's sovereignty, and gladly passes on the love it has received, is the true confession of faith.

With what eyes are we looking at the world now, and with whom are we sharing the grace we have freely received?