Sometimes in life once of anything is enough. As is the case with tropical storms and hurricanes. Gamma, Delta and Zeta. One major tropical storm and two hurricanes in less than a month is enough for me. To no surprise, 2020 has been yet another weird record breaker when it comes to tropical storms. An average year nets around 12 named storms, this year…27. And there’s still 65 days left in the year. But thank the Lord, God knew this storm was in our path and He provided the only room we’ve had yet with full retractable metal hurricane shutters. So last night we closed those shutters and hunkered down to outlast our second hurricane in less than three weeks.
Growing up in North Texas, I’ve never been personally exposed to a hurricane, but I am aware of the intensity ratings. Category one through five with five being the most intense. Delta was a three and last night’s Zeta a stout category one, but folks, witnessing the power of one of God’s mighty storms is nothing short of amazing, regardless of the rating. The wind tore, ripped and pulled at the atmosphere in seemingly unquenchable ferocity. You could feel the tension in the very air, almost alive in it's energy. But for us, the sound was the biggest factor. There’s something tremendously unsettling about simply sitting and listening to constant 80 mph wind. It affects your senses, it affects your psyche, it affects your blood pressure. Your body is telling you to seek safety although you have already sought it. It made for a tense night to live within the incessant chaotic howling that surrounded us. It was a firm reminder, the God that created the universe and all that is in it, to be sure, still retains His power over it.
This brings up an interesting line of logic involving the idea of ‘enough.’ That is, when we’ve had enough. I personally, have had enough of hurricanes. If I never have to deal with another hurricane in this life, I will be fine with that. But within this vein of logic, notice who is doing the choosing. I am. What if God leads me to serve in a place where I must deal with a hurricane every year for the next ten years? You see, I say I’ve had enough, I’ve made up my mind, I’ve washed my hands of said object, but it’s not really my decision. So, what do we do when we’ve made up our mind on God and yet we’re still forced to deal with Him? He shows Himself and we doubt. He reveals Himself and we scoff. He speaks and we ignore. He works a miracle, and we discount it away as luck, chance, or happenstance. The question is, have you had enough of God?
There’s quite the fascinating story found in 2 Kings 7 and it deals with just such a person. Some would call him an unbeliever. Some would call him a skeptic. Some would describe him as a negative Nelly. Some a pessimist. I have no idea what has happened in this man’s life, but he has had enough of God. Maybe he feels he has been treated harshly and unfairly by God. Maybe he has prayers that have gone unanswered for years, feeling that he has been neglected by a callous, unresponsive God. Maybe a loved one died suddenly, and he holds God accountable for the heartbreak that tore at the fabric of his life. The reasons we doubt God are countless, and for many, it comes to the point where they resign to be done with God. They tried and failed. That's enough of God.
We see that as a judgement upon the city of Samaria God has brought an intense famine. The king of Syria has surrounded the city and will not allow anything in or out, especially food. As a result, food is so scarce that prices have skyrocketed. Even if the people could find food, the average man could not afford it. People are dying. And during this dramatic food shortage, as you can imagine, blame is quickly placed. The king of Samaria, instead of fighting and securing food, blames Elisha. He sends men to kill Elisha, the one he feels is responsible. Oh, what a timeless life lesson here. We spend so much of our time blaming and seeking retribution for our problems when the solution is easily within our grasp. The very man that the king sends to kill Elisha, his right hand man, is prophesied to. And as he hears the Words of God, he immediately doubts. He’s had enough of God. Let’s pick up.
“Elisha said, “Listen! God’s word! The famine’s over. This time tomorrow food will be plentiful—a handful of meal for a shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel. The market at the city gate will be buzzing.” The attendant on whom the king leaned for support said to the Holy Man, “You expect us to believe that? Windows opening in the sky and food tumbling out?” “You’ll watch it with your own eyes,” he (Elisha) said, “but you will not eat so much as a mouthful!” 2 Kings 7:1-2 MSG
The heart of unbelief. No matter the message, no matter the word, no matter the miracle…disbelief comes immediately. As he stood at the door hoping to kill the very man that spoke, he heard the very Words of God. And before those Words even stilled the air, he chose unbelief.
Unbelief doubts the power of God. God could indeed rain food from the windows of heaven to feed his people if He chose. Just as He had done in the wilderness for 40 years with manna. Our unbelief limits our view of God’s unlimited power.
Unbelief doubts the creativity of God. God causes a sound like a great army of chariots and horses to scare away the entire Syrian army, leaving their entire fully stocked camp open to pillaging. Enough food and supplies for 100,000 soldiers, left for the taking. God could have ended the famine in a hundred different ways, a heart of unbelief will believe none of them.
Unbelief doubts the Word of God. Whether it be from the Bible, a preacher, a teacher, a missionary or an evangelist, the heart of unbelief will doubt the Words of God. This man heard the very words of God from the very man of God that easily performed miracles. If God were to swoop down and deliver the Words Himself, the heart of unbelief would not accept them.
Unbelief doubts the provision of God. The famine was so severe the man could not perceive how God could ever reverse it. God created all, owns all and controls all. The heart of unbelief applies its own limited logic instead of applying unlimited faith in God’s ability to provide.
An unbelieving heart is a curse. We see in our story that the man was dealt with accordingly. His unbelieving heart was allowed to see the food, but not eat. He was allowed to see the goodness of God, but He could not partake. Do you have an unbelieving heart today? Have you had enough of God and whatever is told of God to you today receives an immediate dismissal? Has God somehow hurt you? Has He disappointed you time after time? I don’t think you know the God I know.
The God I know loves me more than any human emotion can comprehend. The God I know is unconditional in His love, care, provision and goodness. The God I know has a perfect plan for my life, and will see it come to prefect fruition in my obedience and submission to Him. My God, in His unlimited love, sent His only Son to be sacrificed upon a Cross so that I can one day gaze upon His face for eternity. My God made a way for me to live forever in peace, joy, harmony and worship unto Him. I choose to believe in my God.
Today, you can change your heart. You can change it from a heart of unbelief to a heart of belief. It starts and ends with you. It’s your choice. A choice to believe or a choice to not believe. I pray today that you release the animosity, the resentment, the bitterness and the blame. That you release your choice of doubt and instead choose to see the truth. For it is only in the truth of Jesus Christ that you can find the abundant life that He has planned for you.
“Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29
“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Romans 10:9-10
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