Chariots of Fire
Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than there are with them.’ – 2 Kings 6:16
As 2020 comes to a close, I have witnessed (and experienced) a great deal of angst. We are anxious about our nation’s direction, we are anxious concerning our daily existence, we are anxious about the health of our neighbors, not to mention our entire planet. I find the daily news broadcasts gut-wrenching. Have you noticed that network news programs add one uplifting story at the end of the news programs? I believe they do this to mitigate the awfulness of the majority of what we see.
With our ability to access information from social media and 24-hour news sources, we are bombarded with fearful images over which we have little or no control. It is no wonder that we live in a perpetual state of anxiety. Fear is part of the human condition. Although we cannot banish fear altogether, we can keep it from paralyzing us. I am reminded of a story from the book of Kings about a lesson in perspective…
A hostile army had surrounded the home of the prophet Elisha. When Elisha’s servant saw that all avenues of escape had been cut off, he cried out in terror. Elisha was calm, telling his servant, ‘Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than there are with them.’ He prayed, not for deliverance, but for his servant’s eyes to be opened. After that prayer, the servant saw clearly- horses and chariots of fire surrounding the prophet’s home. All fear was gone.
What are our ‘Chariots of Fire’? They are the resources of God given to us in times of great anxiety. The God who first called the universe into existence, the God whose first words were, ‘Let there be Light’, is the God who gives us the strength we need when fear overwhelms us. It’s the strength to cope, it’s the strength to see possibility when everyone else sees hopelessness, it’s the strength to continue to live lives of purpose. The chariots of fire enable us to work for justice, to bring hope, to speak words of comfort and assurance, to act mercifully, to reach out to those who are hurting. The chariots of fire give us the passion and drive to live in our present reality. We might not be able to address world-wide crises, but, through our actions in our tiny corner of the globe… We can bless the people in far off lands with monetary assistance, we can bless people here in Door County with presence, support, prayers, notes of encouragement and with the resources of mind, body and spirit that God has granted us. The resources of light and joy are at our disposal. There are more ‘with us’ than we can possibly imagine. In this season of Christmas, when we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child, “God with Us”, may we take hold of the hope He brings with bold and joyful faith.
As 2020 comes to a close, I have witnessed (and experienced) a great deal of angst. We are anxious about our nation’s direction, we are anxious concerning our daily existence, we are anxious about the health of our neighbors, not to mention our entire planet. I find the daily news broadcasts gut-wrenching. Have you noticed that network news programs add one uplifting story at the end of the news programs? I believe they do this to mitigate the awfulness of the majority of what we see.
With our ability to access information from social media and 24-hour news sources, we are bombarded with fearful images over which we have little or no control. It is no wonder that we live in a perpetual state of anxiety. Fear is part of the human condition. Although we cannot banish fear altogether, we can keep it from paralyzing us. I am reminded of a story from the book of Kings about a lesson in perspective…
A hostile army had surrounded the home of the prophet Elisha. When Elisha’s servant saw that all avenues of escape had been cut off, he cried out in terror. Elisha was calm, telling his servant, ‘Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than there are with them.’ He prayed, not for deliverance, but for his servant’s eyes to be opened. After that prayer, the servant saw clearly- horses and chariots of fire surrounding the prophet’s home. All fear was gone.
What are our ‘Chariots of Fire’? They are the resources of God given to us in times of great anxiety. The God who first called the universe into existence, the God whose first words were, ‘Let there be Light’, is the God who gives us the strength we need when fear overwhelms us. It’s the strength to cope, it’s the strength to see possibility when everyone else sees hopelessness, it’s the strength to continue to live lives of purpose. The chariots of fire enable us to work for justice, to bring hope, to speak words of comfort and assurance, to act mercifully, to reach out to those who are hurting. The chariots of fire give us the passion and drive to live in our present reality. We might not be able to address world-wide crises, but, through our actions in our tiny corner of the globe… We can bless the people in far off lands with monetary assistance, we can bless people here in Door County with presence, support, prayers, notes of encouragement and with the resources of mind, body and spirit that God has granted us. The resources of light and joy are at our disposal. There are more ‘with us’ than we can possibly imagine. In this season of Christmas, when we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child, “God with Us”, may we take hold of the hope He brings with bold and joyful faith.
Dawn Volpe, Pastor at Ephraim Moravian Church
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