Inspiration

WHAT DOES YOUR ANGEL LOOK LIKE?

                                                                                                                                                

By Connie Arnold

When Satan urged Jesus to jump off the mountain, he quoted this scripture to Him: “God will give his angels orders about you. They will catch you in their arms, and you won’t hurt your feet on the stones” (Matthew 4:6 CEV).

The Sadducees arrested the apostles and put them in the city jail. “But that night an angel from the Lord opened the doors and led the apostles out” (Acts 5:19 CEV). We could point out here that Sadducees didn’t even believe in angels.

Acts 12:3-19 says that Peter was put in prison by King Herod, but the night before his trial an angel appeared to him and told him to leave. The prison doors opened of their own accord and the angel led Peter into the city.

We know of angel announcements: Gabriel’s message to the Virgin Mary; the angels above the shepherds calling down their good news; the two white-robed men (angels) at the tomb the morning after Jesus’s resurrection, directing them away from the empty tomb.

A passage in Ezekiel 1:1-28 gives a vivid description of angels as four-winged creatures. In Ezekiel 10:20, we are told these angels are called cherubim. Most angels in the Bible have the appearance and form of a man. Many of them have wings, but not all. Some angels are bright, shining, and fiery, while others look like ordinary humans. Some angels are invisible, yet their presence is felt, and their voices are heard.

Angels are mentioned 273 times in the Bible. We know, of course, that God created angels. …”nor can they die anymore for they are equal to the angels and are sons of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36 NKJV).

Angels take an interest in human affairs. “Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come” (Daniel 10:14 NIV). “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Lue 15:10 NKJV). Angels express emotions. “…while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy” (Job 38:7 NIV).

Jesus told of the rich man who died and was buried. But when the poor man who sat at the rich man’s gate died, the angels accompanied him safely into God’s presence. We find this in Luke 16:19-31.  Their eternal destiny wasn’t based on social or economic status, but it was their faith in God while living their lives here on earth that determined whether or not they’d have a heavenly escort.

So, on the authority of the Holy Bible, we’ve established the fact that angels do exist. Now we can proceed.

A lullaby sings, “Sleep my child and peace attend thee, all through the night. Guardian angels God will send thee, all through the night…”. It intimates that these angels come with the ‘soft drowsy hours’ at the beginning of sleep, continuing on to surround them through the ‘midnight slumber’. By the tiny nightlight we can see a baby, snuggle wrapped, protected by small chubby cherubs, hovering above the crib.

Matthew 18:10  ESV, says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”

Moving on to preschoolers adventuring out, sometimes away from their parents’ watchful eyes. A familiar artist’s portrayal of a guardian angel for this age depicts two children crossing a bridge alone. But not alone: a tall, winged angel stands at ready to come to their aid.

Teenagers and adults may require an angel of a different kind:  strong, powerful, armed to fight off Satan’s attacks. The one that may be needed is Michael who comes with a higher ranking than all the rest.

Chief Prince of the Heavenly: The arch enemy of Satan. Personally, I would choose an angel with a flaming sword, clothed in warrior garb standing between me and danger.

We’ve read accounts of people describing ‘angels-unaware’ who show up in their times of need, looking like a ‘regular’ person. These unexpected helpers weren’t even recognized as heavenly at the time. The psalmist writes, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11, ESV). “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14 ESV).

I like to think it was an angel who came to my aid once. I had to be off work, but I had enough leave time with vacation and sick leave to cover expenses for the expected need. However, my time off had to be extended. I checked all of our financial resources and came up short. I couldn’t find any extra funds, so I gave up. Next day, I looked at the checking account again, and it now showed the amount that I needed until I could get back to work. I don’t know where it came from. We hadn’t told anyone our dilemma. In my mind’s eye, I’ve retained a picture of a man in a brown suit going up to the bank teller’s window and depositing money into my account. This is what my angel might have looked like on that particular day.

We all have angels. What does yours look like?