Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

S - 2 Kings 6:20-23 (NIV): "After they entered the city, Elisha said, "LORD, open the eyes of these men so they can see." Then the LORD opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria. When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?" "Do not kill them," he answered. "Would you kill men you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master." So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel's territory."

O - What changes the inevitability of war?  How does one get the enemy to stop sending raiding parties to disrupt and destroy? Humans say "wipe out your enemy" and this will stop the raiding.  Heaven says "feed your enemy" and do good to those who despitefully use you.  What really carries the day in this real life story is the intervention of God because someone asked (Elisha) and because that same someone encouraged a response in keeping with heaven rather than earth.  The asking was not based upon fear or threat and therefore the request was not for a dead enemy. Instead it was based on heaven's nearness and the confidence of God's intervention; the request is for a restrained enemy unto a cessation of hostilities.

A - Jesus' words ('love your enemy') really do work on earth … we just rarely are willing to believe him when the pressure is on. The Northern Kingdom's problems were not based in Aram's hostility but in their unbelief and opposition to God.  This circumstance highlights the struggle I (we) have in doing the work of believing that we might also work the works of God. My assignment is in the asking according to heaven's nearness and living out loud the confidence and the words which come from God; today while it is called today.

P - Lord who loves enemies,

I do not want to use/say your words but live in contrast/opposition to them.  I do not want to navigate by that which human reason holds on to in direct disregard for you and your words.  O Sovereign Strong, please lead, enable and direct me so that each day my words, actions, thoughts and attitudes embrace who you are and your purposes on earth.  Take me by the hand, tell what to say and show me what to do.  Let me think like Jesus, speak like Jesus, act like Jesus and love like Jesus unto that which humans say can't be done.  Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.
Steve