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It happened that four lepers were sitting just outside the city gate. They said to one another, “What are we doing sitting here at death’s door? If we enter the famine-struck city we’ll die; if we stay here we’ll die. So let’s take our chances in the camp of Aram and throw ourselves on their mercy. If they receive us we’ll live, if they kill us we’ll die. We’ve got nothing to lose.” 2 Kings 7:3-4 Message

Have you ever been in the middle of a situation that looked so impossible and had been going on for so long it consumed you? The pressure of people depending on you to feed them and provide for them? Add to that years of promises that hadn’t come to pass. Such was the state we find the King of Israel in after the Syrians had held the city captive for 7 years.

Let’s continue with verses 5-8; So after the sun went down they got up and went to the camp of Aram. When they got to the edge of the camp, surprise! Not a man in the camp! The Master had made the army of Aram hear the sound of horses and a mighty army on the march. They told one another, “The king of Israel hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to attack us!” Panicked, they ran for their lives through the darkness, abandoning tents, horses, donkeys—the whole camp just as it was—running for dear life. These four lepers entered the camp and went into a tent. First they ate and drank. Then they grabbed silver, gold, and clothing, and went off and hid it. They came back, entered another tent, and looted it, again hiding their plunder.

The people were so consumed with themselves that they hadn’t even realized their captures had fled. God used 4 unlikely lepers to pronounce freedom to the city and in one day everything that could change, overwhelmingly changed. One day you’re eating donkey heads, the next day filet minion.

Verse 16 says, “The people then looted the camp of Aram. Food prices dropped overnight—a handful of meal for a shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel—God’s word to the letter!”

This fits so well with what is taking place in our nation today. We can’t afford to be so consumed with what is going on that we miss what God is doing in our midst. Revival fire is falling in California. Churches are reopening. Mask mandates are being lifted. Don’t let your focus be so much on the negative the news is reporting that you fail to see that God is on the move!

God the master planner has a plan. Its such a big plan that your mind can’t wrap around it. It’s a plan that people will be talking about forever. If that doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will. He’s the same God who delivered the 3 Hebrew children from the fiery furnace, the same God who sent His son, Jesus to buy us back so we could fellowship with him. If He’d do it for them, He’ll do it for you. For one tiny moment, get your eyes off your problem and worship the God who has your turnaround moment on His mind.

Father, the camp of my enemy is empty and I see it now. Your provision is visible, it’s tangible, it’s edible. You’ve had a plan all along and it was a good plan. You’ve opened my eyes and shown me that I was never an after-thought, rather I’ve been on Your mind from the very beginning. You made a way where there was no way and I praise and thank You for that. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Keeping My Eyes Open,

Sandy G