2 Kings 6:15–20 ‘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 round Elisha.’ (v17)
In the movie Avatar, the Na’vi greeting means, ‘I see you’, because ‘To see… is to open the mind and heart to the present’. Someone who is present in time, struggles to recall the past whilst placing little focus on an unrealised future. With its limitations, this approach ensures undivided attention in the moment.
Christian life is lived in the present, and whilst helpful to recall God’s great historical acts and meditate on eternity, only in each present moment can we encounter God. Because the future is secured by Christ, we’re at liberty to remain at peace in a turbulent world. Global political and economic events may destabilise us, but we remain confident in Jesus’ sufficiency.
Scripture presents disturbance as every disciple’s experience. Israel flourished in Egypt before a new Pharaoh introduced servitude. God inspired escape across the Red Sea into a wilderness which presented further problems.
The whole experience was to test faith and to offer opportunities to strengthen it. God’s primary purpose remains to encourage us to grow closer to Him, and our daily experiences offer the spaces through which we can deepen our understanding of both God and ourselves, whilst maturing in practical discipleship. Media lends itself to dispersing anxiety throughout society.
Managing our anxieties can encourage consideration of an uncertain global future or yearning for a now lost ‘golden age’, more imagined than real. Anxiety demands a sacrificial scapegoat to settle our fears; God invites us to consider His love, one that is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER:
Josh. 4:1–9; Ps. 46:1–7; Acts 17:22–31; Heb. 4:6–16
AN ACTION TO TAKE:
What is your greatest distraction at the moment? It is in choosing to look to Jesus,
and reminding yourself of His continuous love, that can give you
the courage to face your current situation.
A PRAYER TO MAKE:
‘Lord, I entrust my future into Your hands and choose to live in the moment
by Your grace and to look for Your presence. Amen.’
Photo by Houcine Ncib on Unsplash
