In the New York City subway, two youths robbed a well-dressed man who appeared to be asleep in his seat. Suddenly the whole car came alive! The victim turned out to be a decoy, and the passengers who jumped up from their seats were police officers. With lightning speed they converged on the young pair and made the arrest. These officers were "unseen" at first, but they provided ample security for riders on that subway car.

We get a similar picture of protection in 2 Kings 6. In a manner more dramatic than what happened on that subway, Elisha's servant saw why his master could be so confident in the face of what seemed to be impending disaster. We read that when "the Lord opened the eyes of the young man," he saw an amazing sight (v.17). God had arrayed an invisible army "of horses and chariots of fire" all around Elisha, ready to protect the Israelites from the Syrian army.

As God's children, we can trust Him to defend us as we do His will. Even when the battle seems too great and it appears that we face defeat, we must still trust the Lord. We can be encouraged by remembering Elisha's message to his servant: "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (v.16). We are not alone!  — Mart De Haan