Surrounded by a Faithful Father

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 2 Kings 6:16 (NIV)

After many months of frequent travel, I was eager to see what the Lord had in store for my two months rooted at home with Him. I was excited for an opportunity to really settle into this place that I now call home, to establish consistent friendships, and to get plugged into the community. I was excited to find somewhat of a routine and to have more moments of stillness sprinkled throughout my days. 

Looking back now, I can say that these things did happen, but it’s also evident that the Lord had some lessons to teach me throughout that time – as He often does when we slow down. 

Just a few weeks into these two months at home, there was one identifiable stretch of days in which things on every side of me seemed to be shifting. When the first event occurred, I acknowledged it, but carried right along with a slight, “It’ll be okay.” But by the end of the week, I found myself asking God a lot of questions… most of which were fueled by doubt. 

“Am I supposed to be in this place?”

“Was I supposed to do that?”

“Is it time for a change?” 

“Didn’t you give me confirmation in taking that next step?” 

God stopped me on that last question, and it was as though He posed a question right back to me. 

“Are you going to allow these little things on your journey bring that much doubt to things that I have made so clear to you, just because they don’t look as you planned?”

Suddenly, I was reminded of Isaiah 55:8-9. Two verses that I know well and have clung to through many seasons. 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (NIV)

There were two things that God had made so clear to me in the past that I was now suddenly questioning against the happenings of that week. Two things that were highly prayed upon and that God gave me confirmation within. Two things that I now often share as testimonies of God’s faithfulness in my life. 

As I sat with these thoughts, I realized the following: 

1. Though things were not happening in the way that I envisioned, those confirmations that the Lord had given me were still valid. 

2. Going forward, I would be acutely more aware of God’s hand working in these areas of my life, because they weren’t happening in the way that I had planned or imagined. 

My questions that morning changed to praise for God’s nearness and His love for me. 

Before opening my Bible, I closed my journal entry with these words, “Help me to look upon your faithfulness, Lord, and to stand in the power of your might. This is where you would have me to be – I believe it!” 

I opened my Bible to continue in the Psalms, as I do each morning. A notecard sat in the crevice of my Bible where I had pulled the ribbon marker from. Psalm 9. 

Only the Lord, I thought and I smiled in recognizing the quick turnaround time on the plea that I had just journaled. 

“Help me to look upon your faithfulness, Lord.” 

This notecard ‘just so happened to be’ a very personal marker of God’s faithfulness to me. Without going into great detail, at the time I had written on this card a few years ago, I had just made a big decision after many months of prayer and debate. Though it was not an easy decision to make at the time, I knew that it was where the Lord was leading me, and I wanted to create a reminder to reflect on the journey ahead. 

In part the card read, “Meditated on this scripture the day that I made this decision. When you see this card be reminded to look back on the blessings upon this path. If I seek Him with my whole heart, He will never forsake me.”

“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10 (NIV)

I cannot even begin to put into words the blessings that the Lord has opened my eyes to on the path following that decision – more than I could’ve ever thought, hoped, or imagined, but what I can say with great assurance is that the Lord is faithful. And that was the very reminder that I needed on that morning just last month. 

Immediately, the joy and the peace that only comes from the Lord returned and the heaviness that I had been feeling lifted. Though my circumstances hadn’t changed a bit, my vision had and I knew that regardless of what was to come, the Lord was in control. 

Just one week later, I was a few hours from home when my vehicle broke down. 

At first, I was just grateful to be safe and quick to recognize that things could have been a lot worse. It could have resulted in an accident. Someone could’ve been injured. Instead of being stranded in a McDonalds parking lot, I could’ve been stuck on the side of a highway. And instead of being a few hours from home, I could’ve been a days drive or even further away. 

After a brief investigation with my little vehicle-related knowledge, I realized that this problem was far beyond my scope, so I called a couple that has become very near and dear to me over the past year. Before I even finished telling them what had happened, they were already assuring me that they were on their way and it was obvious that there was no talking them out of it, though it was already 6:30pm on a Saturday night and they were a few hours drive away.

Realizing that I’d be camped out in the McDonalds parking lot for the next few hours, I knew that I wouldn’t be making it to the dinner plans that I had with some family friends who I’ve known since early childhood. I sent them a text message telling them what had happened, and encouraging them to enjoy dinner with the others instead of settling for a Big Mac in the McDonalds parking lot! 

Having been in that area for a soccer tournament, I also sent a message to our team captain to see if by any chance he had any experience as a mechanic. Within minutes, he was sitting with me in the McDonald’s parking lot, and though he wasn’t able to fix my vehicle, he selflessly missed his dinner plans with the team and was committed to endure the wait with me – something I was increasingly thankful for as time ticked on and as the sun went down. Turns out that the McDonalds parking lot wasn’t quite as safe as it had seemed in the daylight. 

About an hour later, my family friends joined the parking lot gathering, while we waited for the other couple to arrive. Though I now had three friends on site with me, my mind started to run through the ‘what if’s’.

“What if I have to get it towed?” 

“I am about to leave for a trip, how will I coordinate getting it back?”

“How expensive will it be?” 

And then my mind began to reach back into the happenings of the past few weeks. Between each conversation with the three friends who were sitting with me, I was thinking about all of these things that were going “wrong” in this same season. Though I was determined to cling to the faithfulness of God, I couldn’t help but feel like the enemy was surrounding me on every side – especially with the broken down vehicle added to the growing list. 

By the time the last couple arrived, I was fighting back tears. 

In my heart, I KNEW that it would be okay. That God was in control. And that the Lord was faithful. 

But without a doubt there was a battle in my mind. 

Have you been here? Have you been in a position where you can recite the promises of God and you really, really do believe them in your heart… but there is a battleground in your mind? 

For me, it seems that it’s within these situations, that I am most aware of that ongoing battle between my flesh and my Spirit, which nearly makes it more frustrating as I long for and desire to be led by the Spirit alone. 

A little while after the last couple arrived, I found myself standing a few feet in front of the vehicle holding a roll of paper towels to clean oil-covered hands and watching as not one, not two or three or four people worked together on my vehicle, but five people. 

Five people came to my rescue that night in the McDonalds parking lot. Five people put off their own plans and desires to help the stranded girl with a broken vehicle. And through the five people, the Lord gave me a beautiful image. 

Two of those people had been in my life from childhood. The other couple, I have had the privilege of journeying with for over a year now. And the other gentleman, I was really just getting to know as a new friend that weekend. 

With the snapshot of these five people, from different season of my life, at work under the hood of my car, God was giving me the visual of what He had been speaking throughout these many weeks. 

“I have always been with you. I am with you now. And I will always be with you.” 

Brothers and Sisters. Are you in need of being reminded of God’s faithfulness today? Is your quiet time with the Lord being drowned out by the questioning of things going differently than you planned or envisioned? Are you tired and weary? Is there a raging war inside your mind? Do you feel like you are surrounded by the enemy? 

Praise the Lord that my vehicle was able to be fixed on the spot that night, but wow, did the Lord need to speak to me with boldness and He used that situation to do so. Perhaps He is speaking to you through your unforeseen circumstances today, too. 

Are you listening?

I want to encourage you to talk to God. Set aside time to sit at His feet and to process aloud with Him. Pour out your heart and tell Him about the battle in your mind. Open His Word and get out your journal. Allow Him time to speak and remain attentive to His voice daily. 

He has always been with you. He is with you. And He will always be with you. 

I want to leave you with the Bible story that the Lord led me to just days after the vehicle incident – as though He needed to affirm things just one more time for this stubborn mind. 

In 2 Kings 6, the servant of Elisha wakes up to see “an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city” (v15); the army that had been sent by the king of Aram to capture Elisha.

The servant exclaimed, “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” (V15). 

He could see the odds spelled out all around them. An army of chariots and horses versus two men, who were already surrounded on every side. How could this end well? Surely fear and panic had gripped the heart of the servant as he cried out to Elisha. 

If you haven’t done so already, take a moment to put yourself in the servants place as you read on through Elisha’s response. 

“‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’

And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (V16-17)

Would the Lord God not say the same to us today?

My child, don’t be afraid for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. 

Imagine that. Can you picture it? Before the eyes of the servant were opened, he heard these words. As he looked out to the king of Aram’s horses and chariots surrounding him, do you think he believed what the prophet Elisha had spoken to him? Do you think that he actually thought that he was a part of a LARGER army than he could see? 

And what about you? Do you believe that these words are true for you and I today? Regardless of what your eyes can see, do you believe the we are part of a larger army?

And when we feel that we are surrounded by the enemy, I have to wonder if our intercessor is making this same prayer for us that Elisha made for his servant.

“Open their eyes, Lord, so that they may see.” 

“Open her eyes, Father, so that she may see that it is you who is surrounding her.”

“Open his eyes, God, so that he knows he’s not alone in this.” 

“Open their eyes, Lord, to your faithfulness, your love, and your constant presence.” 

The eyes of Elisha’s servant were opened to see the “hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” The Lord’s army was there, surrounding them. 

They were not alone. They were not defenseless. They were not without hope. 

From the servant’s perspective, the tables had turned, though not a thing had changed. 

Regardless of what comes our way, let us be quickly reminded that we are indeed surrounded by a faithful Father, a loving Father, and a Father who was, who is, and who is yet to come. 

Thank you, Lord, for who You are. 

With so much love, 

Your Sister in Christ