The hawk watched as I completed my morning walk.  He was silent, but I noticed him when he flew from the ground to the limb. I stopped in wonder as we observed each other – my morning blessing and reminder that God is near.

So often, I am lost in thought and oblivious to things outside my direct line of vision.  An avid woods wanderer, my husband has tried to teach me to keep my eyes open, to notice changes in color, to see small movements on the ground and in the trees.  By doing this, I get to enjoy so much more of the marvelous creation of God.

We are prone to miss the wonders around us.  Caught up in our busyness, and our interactions, and our fears, we walk right by blessings, and we miss the sound of heavenly music because we are not tuned in to God’s station.  Sometimes we need our eyes and ears opened.

There is a story in the Bible that illustrates this.  In II Kings 6 we read about Elisha.

Elisha had been helping Israel by warning the rulers when the king of Syria was going to attack.  This allowed the nation to mount a counterattack and remain safe. When the Syrian king found out what was going on, he determined to stop Elisha.  Knowing that Elisha and the other prophets were in the city of Dothan, the king set his trap.

The Syrian army came by night and surrounded Dothan.  Elisha’s servant woke early and saw the massive army. Frightened, he went to Elisha asking, “What shall we do?”

Elisha did not tremble at the sight, even though it seemed that capture and death were imminent. His answer to his servant went like this:

And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.  II Kings 6:16

 Really? That army was right there, and the servant did not see any calvary coming to the rescue.

And he (Elisha) prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his (the servant’s) eyes, that he may see.

 Then this happened:

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. II Kings 6:17

Elisha was right.  There were more on their side than there were against them.  Their eyes just had to be open to see God at work.

In the rest of the story, we find the problem being solved with no loss of life.  And the ongoing threat to Israel was resolved.

You may feel overwhelmed and surrounded by trouble today.  You may feel forgotten, but when we know Christ as Savior and Lord, we are never alone. As Chris Tomlin wrote, “The God of angel armies is always by my side.”

Ask God to open your eyes to His care today.

• Perhaps a call or a text arrives from someone at just the right time.
• Maybe a verse of scripture or a devotion reaches your eyes at the moment you need encouragement.
• Or God may bring a scripture to mind when you are struggling.
• A cloud, or a flower……….or a hawk may remind you that God is near.

God is speaking to you and to me every day.  May we have ears to hear and eyes to see.

Romans 8: ³¹ What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? ³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

I John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Photo: The Hawk ©Beth Mims

 Hear the song “Whom Shall I Fear?” here.