The celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas includes angels.
An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to go ahead
and take pregnant Mary as his wife. The angel Gabriel appeared
to Mary telling her she would be the mother of our Saviour.
Angels came to the shepherds and sang for them.
Angels all around! Angels in the sky and angels on the ground!
The first time I "met" an angel was in a dream when I was six
and living in Holland during World War II. My Mom had sent me on
an errand and I was walking along a road when suddenly I heard
the threatening drone of bombers overhead. In fear, I turned on
my heels to run back home. But as I turned I saw an angel like
figure shielding me from the bombers. And with child-like faith
I believed the angel would protect me and I continued on my way.
Angels are called "ministering spirits". They are spirit beings
and we usually can't see them. Our ability to see reality is
limited. We can't see what a cat sees at night; we can't hear
what a dog hears, we don't have a bat's radar system and we
can't see the spiritual world which is all around us. Except
on occasion.
"Ministering" means to look after the needs of others - and that's
what angels do. God sends them to help us, guide us, protect us,
encourage us etc. etc. You've heard amazing stories of people
being protected. We often call these occurances "coincidences."
But there seem to be too many of them to call them that.
(The following three stories are also in the Tenth Anniversary
Edition of The Valley of Cancer.)
I remember one friend telling me she was lying in the hospital
corridor waiting to go to OR to remove her cancerous tumor when
a terrible fear suddenly gripped her and she cried out. The
next moment she saw two outstretched hands and heard the
distinct words, "Don't be afraid, I am with you."
She relaxed and faced the surgery with a sense of peace.
Maria was already in OR when she was overcome by fear. A nurse
in a white uniform came to stand beside her and held her hand
and said, "Don't be afraid, Maria, I'll stay right here with you
throughout the operation." When in recovery, Maria asked to
speak with the nurse who wore the white uniform. Other nurses
checked and came back and told her no one had worn a white uniform
that day.
We visited Joan when she was dying of lung cancer. I dreaded the
visit somewhat not knowing what I'd find. I was surprised when
her husband met us at the door with, "Angie, we're waiting for
the angels. They're already all around the house. I can hear them!"
He invited me in. Joan was happy to see us and asked me to read
the piece from the Valley book called "Easter." It begins with
"I'm waiting here for the angels." (I'll add it to "Archives,"
so check for it there.) When Joe and I left her house that day,
we had the incredible feeling that we'd been allowed to spend a
few moment in heaven's vestibule and to catch a "glimpse" of
unseen angels. Later that day they took Joan Home.
My most amazing personal "angel story" happened in the Australian
outback. At 6:00 am in a lonely campsite, my husband suddenly had
a heart attack. Ambulances came. I was asked to wait outside and
leaned against a tree, trembling, and crying out, "What am I going
to do?" I became aware that someone was standing beside me. I
looked up an saw glistening white - a figure silhouetted against
the rising sun. It was a man wearing a bright white shirt. He asked
softly if it was my husband who was ill. And then said, "I have
come to look after you." And he did. It was amazing. He was ama-
zing and I've always thought of him as an angel who came to help.
(This whole saga is in my book: Seven Angels for Seven Days.
Let's be aware of God's loving provision of angels around us this
Christmas season. It will add to our wonder and joy of the season!
Blessings!
Angie
NEXT: "My Cross"
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