Outside the Gates

"But mama!" my seven-year-old complained. I do not even remember what she was whining about. I remember thinking she had no idea what I had in store for her that day. A splash pad, zip line, ropes course, trampoline park—all her favorite things—were around the corner. But because things were not going her way, she griped, not knowing what blessings awaited her.

"You should have some faith," I said.

"Huh?"

"Have a little faith in me..." I sang. "Let me ask you this: Have I ever let you down before?"

"No," she said reluctantly.

"Have I ever disappointed you before? Have I ever not gone above and beyond for you?"

"No."

"So then why not just trust me? And while you are trusting me, trust yourself.”

“Myself?”

“Yes, trust that you don't know everything. I see things you don't see, and right now, I know more than you know. I have insight into the future and have been where you are trying to go.”

“Not too shabby with the advice today, mama, not too shabby,” I said to myself in the mirror as she ran from the room. However, it may be that I needed to take my own advice.

The siege was over. The Syrian army had fled, and Israel was no longer under attack, but no one knew it. Well, no one but four lepers. Just outside the gates of the city, there was an abandoned Syrian camp, and four of the most dejected people in Israel's capital, Samaria, had stumbled upon it. Food in Israel was scarce, prices were inflated, and people were truly suffering. The lepers were banished from the city because of their condition. They were already forced to live apart from others, so they had decided that rather than sit and starve to death outside the gates of the city, they would approach the Syrians. Maybe the enemy soldiers would kill them, but perhaps if they surrendered to them, they would keep them alive and feed them; either way, they truly had nothing to lose (2 Kings 7:3-5).

Meanwhile, the Prophet Elisha prophesied to the king's official, “Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’” But all the official could do was scoff at Elisha's claim. “Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen” (2 Kings 7:2). Surely, Elisha’s God was not powerful or clever enough to get the people provisions. Their enemy surrounded them, there was no way God could turn things around for Israel.

As the lepers approached the Syrian camp, they noticed how quiet it was... and empty. The camp was deserted, but there was an abundance of food and supplies. This was a leper's dream! An entire military camp fully stocked! They could not believe it. The lepers ate and drank and carried off portions of the treasure to put aside for themselves, then they alerted Israel's authorities. Elisha's prophecy had been fulfilled. Indeed, God was powerful and clever, making the Syrian Soldiers hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army. They thought they were being attacked and ran for their lives, abandoning everything that they had (7-9).

As believers, we do not know everything. We fuss and pout due to our troubles instead of trusting God, knowing He has never disappointed us before. The LORD has never neglected to go above and beyond for us. While we worry and doubt, God sees what we do not see, and He knows more than we know. He has unlimited insight into the future and is at the end, even from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). The lepers feasted in the Syrian camp while the citizens inside the gates paid a dollar for a dove's dung (2 Kings 6:25). Little did they know that God had already provided relief for the famine.

Human beings are the only species that get the opportunity to exercise faith. We are the only ones who have the chance to trust and to believe in the unlimited power of our Creator. Put your faith to work. Do not limit God. We know of one way to solve our problems, but God can solve our problems by opening the windows of heaven and pouring out the answer, or He can choose from a million other unexpected methods. His thoughts are not our thoughts nor His ways our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). Our God is powerful and clever. Whatever you may be going through right now, try this: Trust God. Have a little faith. Healing, provision, protection, restoration, everything you need is just outside the gates.

"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20).