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Having heard many first-person experiences of angelic encounters over the years, and having had some of my own, I believe Ps. 91, that God gives His angels charge over us, to guard us in all our ways.
I’m not going to list the numerous angel references in the Bible, but we know that God created angels, as explained in Ps. 103:20-21, and 148:2. Remember, though, that while angels are created beings, they are not to be worshiped.
A quote of the Rev. Billy Graham says that angels belong to a uniquely different dimension of creation that we, limited to the natural order, can scarcely comprehend. But, we can study our Bibles, and realize that angels are strong, have authority, and can appear in human form at times, (Heb. 13:2).
Whether we see them or not, God has created a huge number of angels to help carry out His work in this world.
It was nine years ago when my mother and I were spending long hospital hours at the bedside of my younger brother, Russ, with his wife, Charlotte. He was in his final hours with three women who dearly loved him, and were doing whatever we could do to comfort and assure him.
Even though it was prayed for and expected, that moment of transition away from his pain filled life on earth was a shock that left us devastated. I remember standing beside his bed, gazing at his beautiful face and feeling like I had been kicked in the stomach, it hurt so bad.
But in that same moment, I felt a warm touch of an arm about my shoulder, a strong hand sort of patting me. In my grief I thought it was a nurse, so I didn’t look up right away. But that arm about me was definitely an intentional hug.
I looked up to say thank you, but there was no one there. And the moment was over. It was over, but I can feel that touch to this day, and it still reassures me. An angel was with me in a very real way.
And my mother, having sat for hours those last few days at the foot of Russ’ bed in that tiny room, had such peace about her the whole time. It was that quiet, wordless peace that left us glancing at her often, to check that she was all right. I know she had an angel comforting her, as she watched the passing of her second son, just as she had witnessed it for her firstborn nine years earlier.
A friend of mine who recently became a widow, awakened early one morning and headed out the door for a walk with her tearful thoughts. My friend didn’t give much attention to a woman walking toward her. She described her as wearing a raincoat, and her hair was windblown about her face.
As they approached one another, the woman said, you look like you could use a hug. And my friend, who is usually very aware of her surroundings, simply accepted the gentle hug. The woman said, don’t worry, everything will be all right. And she went on her way, as did my friend.
As she told this story, I was surprised that my friend wasn’t afraid of the woman. She said, no, she wasn’t like that, and that she was very comforted by her.
Think what you will, but my friend and I agree: she had an angelic experience.
Upon hearing several first-person angel stories over the years, I am strengthened in the simple truth that we are all spiritual beings. The problem is that all too often we are not fully awake to our own sacred dimension and that of the world around us.
According to Luke 17:21, the kingdom of God dwells within us. So if Jesus is Lord in our lives, then His kingdom has come through us.
We do not see all the aspects and inner workings of God’s kingdom, but its fullness is yet to come because we are still waiting for Jesus to return to the earth a second time. In John 18:36, Jesus confirms this by saying that the kingdom of God is not of this world.
When we know God personally through His son Jesus Christ, we have confidence that the angels of God watch over us and help us, because we belong to Him.
Bonnie Donnelly is a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Marietta. Thoughts of Faith is a weekly column written by various ministers and lay people. Those interested in scheduling a date for writing a Thoughts of Faith column should contact Christy Hudson at 376-5446 or chudson@mariettatimes.com. Or, if a Thoughts of Faith column is written at the writer’s convenience and sent to The Times, it will run the first available date.