While the smell of pumpkin is in the air and sunflowers and autumn leaves adorn most of the doors in my neighborhood, I have noticed 2 aisles over in the home stores Christmas is already on the way. My comment is always that I want to shake hands with pilgrims before angels spread their wings and start reigning over doorways and sitting on mantles.
One of my favorite smiles is when I see a little one dressed as an angel coming down the street with a plastic pumpkin seeking treats. I think, Here is a kid who is maximizing the joy out of the event edging Christmas into the season, kind of a two for one effort as she straightens her Halloween halo made out of gold Christmas tree garland. Then there is the endless debate about the tree topper, star, or angel. Apparently, they are pretty close in popularity. And most of us at some point have paraded around at school or church pageants, adorned in hemmed sheets and tin foil wings. Angels made the cut in Charlie Brown as Linus shares the Christmas story and the T.V series “Touched by an Angel” ran for 9 seasons, showing over 200 episodes. Angels are popular. Their name is attached to several charities inviting us to share with the less fortunate in economics and health, and I have had the privilege of meeting a few of the pilots and seeing a Blue Angel plane up close. But there’s more to angels than being awarded their wings every time a bell rings, and there are more angels on duty than Clarence the Guardian in “It’s a Wonderful Life. The scriptures share this insight:
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing, some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it ” Hebrews 13:2 (NIV)
The writer in Psalm 91 reminds us long before Gabriel made announcements in the New Testament that angels were carrying out their duties. The Psalmist in these passages informs us that angels were busy doing other things besides sitting on proverbial clouds and playing harps. Though this could be part of their activities, most of the angelic host and their job description pose a mystery to all Christians everywhere. I find it ironic that the mystery between men and angels is a 2-way street. The Apostle Peter writes in I Peter 1:10 -12 that angels are curious about salvation and long to look into the affairs of men.
Nonetheless, despite their ministry and guarding duties as referenced in Psalm 91, angels are not at man’s disposal, and there is no biblical reference that states we are assigned a personal guardian at birth. Angels are primarily referred to in the plural, like this passage or where a host of angels came into battle in 2 Kings 6 to protect and defend Elisha the prophet. While angels have many functions, they are all under the command of the Lord and not ours. They serve to announce as messengers commissioned by God or do Battle as Michael referenced in John’s revelation. The bible records that an angel with a flaming sword was left to guard the gate of Eden. While angels may be friendly, they are not our friends. I like to think of them as a band of workers that work at the home office supporting the earthly network and fulfill their duties as assigned by the Father and only the Father. When we get to heaven, we will be in celebration with them as we all worship Christ and get home to the Father.
It was encouraging to know that as I labor in this earthly vineyard, that God has commanded His angels to guard me in all my ways and to help protect me. Once again, contributing efforts to God’s plan to keep me rested and safe in His shadow, not the shadow of angels themselves. Nor are angels more potent or powerful than the indwelling Holy Spirit in me and cannot bypass His direction and role in my daily life. Angels are recorded in the bible to also be ministering beings. The angel of the Lord fed Elijah when he was depressed and spoke with both Abraham and Moses at critical crossroads in their lives. We know from scripture that angels ministered to Christ after His 40 days in the wilderness and his temptation by Satan. All power and access angels have are granted by God. I find this so amazing that God already has comforters and caregivers on the scene should I need it. God has this network of care designed for me in this life where a host of resources, including angels play a role in keeping me safe. How much of a role? I don’t know, and I believe it is not for me to know as God doesn’t want me to get sidetracked with the whole angelic realm thing but rather keep the main thing the main thing. That is… my personal relationship with Christ and trusting the details to HIm.
As I look back at the preceding verses in Psalm 91, I can plainly see that God uses this band of hosts to defend me from night terrors. Daytime arrows and the pestilence and plague that is stalking me, for verse 11 is worded” For He commands” and is conclusionary in nature. I believe it is the Father’s way of promising us safety, and as a bonus revelation shares, “you are so important to me that I have assigned a group to watch your back. The focus is God’s promise and His Most High power to deliver..not angels.
When I was very young, one of the first verses my Dad taught me to memorize was Psalm 34:7, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear, and he delivers them.” I have quoted this verse from my childhood bed, dark nights in cars, walking through Detroit parking lots, in MRI machines, and even at funeral homes and cemeteries where I have said goodbye to those I love and fear what life will look like now that they are gone. It is a companion verse to the passage of verse 11 in Psalm 91. Angels are camping around me! This is one of the reasons no unrecoverable disaster will come near my tent! And should some trial befall me, God can deliver me.
I believe when I get to heaven, It will be revealed to me in total explanation and understanding of how God brought me through. It will be then that I will come to know how often I entertained angels here, unaware of their presence but always with the confidence inspired by the Psalmist, that the Father has commanded them concerning me in all my ways.
Father, thank you that your angels are more than characters in movies or silhouettes I make in the snow. They are real and are nearby, waiting for your instructions to aid me, as you say in your word, in all my ways, from the top of my head to even the stones under my feet. Even though I can’t see them, remind me they are part of your comfort and protection and always, always represent your presence, not their own. God, I thank you that your love for me is so amazing and thorough that you have not held back any of your resources to care for me, including this heavenly realm of workers created by you to minister, message, battle, and protect when you give the word.
Come back to the vineyard where the 5 o’clock worker realizes that there could be cobras crawling and lions prowling in the vineyard!
5oclockworker.com 