Scientists tell us that the earth is spinning on its axis at a speed of over 1000 miles per hour at this very moment. Yet we have no sensation of motion. At the same time, the earth is rotating around the sun at a speed of 66,000 miles per hour. Do you feel anything?

The earth is moving at an incredible speed but we do not perceive it. Einstein made this point by striking two consecutive blows with his fist and saying, "Between those two strokes, we traveled thirty miles." Incredible motion with no perception! Yet we accept by faith that it is nevertheless true.

The Apostle Paul defines faith as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). I like John Wesley's paraphrase of this verse: "[Faith] is the power to see into the world of spirits, into things invisible and eternal. It is the power to understand those things which are not perceived by worldly senses."

Of course, the big problem for most of us is that we tend to base everything on what our five senses tell us. And since the spiritual world is not subject to any of these, our faith is often weak and impotent. A. W. Tozer analyzes the problem this way: "The world of sense intrudes upon our attention day and night for the whole of our lifetime.

It is clamorous, insistent and self-demonstrating. It does not appeal to our faith; it is here, assaulting our five senses, demanding to be accepted as real and final. But sin has so clouded the lenses of our hearts that we cannot see that other reality, the City of God, shining around us. The world of sense triumphs."

The eye of faith, however, perceives this unseen reality. Tozer is right when he says that "a spiritual kingdom lies all about us, enclosing us, embracing us, altogether within reach of our inner selves, waiting for us to recognize it. God Himself is here waiting our response to His Presence. This eternal world will come alive to us the moment we begin to reckon upon its reality."

Do you remember the story of Elisha in 2 Kings 6:8-23? Elisha found himself in a situation where he was completely surrounded by enemy troops, yet he remained calm and relaxed. His servant, however, must have been climbing the walls at the sight of this hostile army with vicious-looking warriors and innumerable battle-chariots on every side.

Undaunted, Elisha said to him: "Don't be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (2 Kings 6:16). Elisha then prayed to God, "'O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.' Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (2 Kings 6:17). God was protecting Elisha and his servant with a whole army of magnificent angelic beings!

The reason Elisha never let his feathers get ruffled was because he was "sure of what he hoped for and certain of what he did not see" (cf. Hebrews 11:1). Unlike many Christians today, Elisha was not a slave to the visible and the tangible.

George Muller was a man after Elisha's own heart. As his autobiography informs us, he had many orphans under his care; too many - in fact - for one man to financially support without God's intervention. At the orphanage one morning the tables were all set for breakfast, but the cupboard was completely bare.

There was no food! And there was no money! The children were all standing around waiting for their breakfasts, and Mr. Muller said to them, "Children, you know we must be in time for school." He then lifted his head and prayed, "Dear Father, we thank Thee for what Thou art going to give us to eat."

Almost immediately after this, there was a knock at the door. It was a local baker who said, "Mr. Muller, I could not sleep last night. Somehow I felt you didn't have any bread for breakfast, and the Lord wanted me to send you some. So I got up at 2:00 am and baked some fresh bread and here it is." Mr. Muller humbly thanked the baker and then offered praise to God for providing so miraculously for him and the orphans.

Moments later there was a second knock at the door. It was the local milkman whose milk wagon had just broken down in front of Muller's orphanage. He offered all his milk to Muller and the orphans so he could have his wagon hauled to the nearest repair shop. Coincidence? No way!

Muller had a simple, childlike faith in a living God. He knew beyond any doubt that an unseen spiritual world existed around him. And in spite of what his physical senses told him (i.e., no food and no money), he was confident that God could be trusted for all of his temporal needs.

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