Angels, angels, angels
by Pastor William C. Mack | September 27, 2021
Blog- Sept. 27, 2021This week, on the church calendar, “angels” are celebrated. While very few of us have actually SEEN angels, we know they are there. How? “For the Bible tells me so.” (They are mentioned almost 300 times in the Scriptures!) You have your good angels who minister to God and His saints (that’s us) and bad angels, or demons, who were created by the Lord (Colossians 1: 16) as good but turned on Him and His creation; starting with Adam and Eve. And we know how THAT turned out! ☹
The term “angel” describes their office; “one sent” or “a messenger”. We’ll focus on “the good guys” today. They are spiritual beings who are without any bodily form whatsoever. They appeared to humans at times to comfort them but they must never be “worshipped”. That is an act solely set aside for the true God (Luke 4:8).
God created them as our protectors (Psalm 91: 10-11), to serve us in accordance with His will (Hebrews 1:14). Remember Daniel and the lions? (Daniel 6: 16-23) Talk about a “close call”! I think at that point I would have said, as they were getting ready to throw me into the lion’s den, “You’re with me….right Lord????”, while sweating through my robe….And who could forget the “close call” that Jesus had when Herod tried to kill Him! (Matthew 2: 13-21) Saint Peter, too, had some grim times as he languished in prison; only to have an angel of the Lord “break him out”. (Acts 12: 5-11).
As we look out today in the world, we might be overwhelmed with all the enemies of God trying to harm us and stop the work of the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 18-20). Just remember: the angels do His bidding (Psalm 103: 20) and they will “guard you in all your ways.” (Psalm 91: 11).
I remember driving Patty (my wife) to her new teaching internship in Wyoming. The roads were icy and as we approached a downward canyon, we saw that the curve had no guardrails at the bottom! A young man had broken through and died trying to navigate that path earlier. But, being the stubborn guy I am, I decided to try it anyway; telling Patty to get out while I “carefully” braked down to the bottom….It didn’t work. The car’s tires caught the ice and I found myself speeding to the bottom of the curve with the “tape” as my “protection” from falling into the canyon! Just before hitting the tape the car suddenly STOPPED! I had taken my foot off the brake and, going 20 miles an hour, decided to die in prayer. As the car came to a halt, I put it in park, backed up and drove my (hysterical) fiancé to her appointment. That summer we drove the same route; 90 degrees and a dry road. I actually STOPPED the car 2 feet away from the (new) guard rail and put it in NEUTRAL; taking my foot off the brake. The car went forward and bumped the guard rail! NO one can tell me that God’s angels weren’t there that winter, stopping my car. No way they were not there! 😊 God’s love, through Christ, will protect us always. May His grace assure you of that daily. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!