Young or old, we have angels watching over us
From childhood I’ve heard the phrase, “angels watching over me.”
I realize now, though, that I haven’t adequately allowed that idea to help me as I’ve gone through life.
Yes, I’ve fervently trusted in God and His Word on most occasions. I could never have held up in my faith through multiple storms without the Lord’s help.
But embracing the confidence that God has a divine agent in my immediate presence at all times is what I’ve sometimes failed to do.
Not by intent, but instead by neglect.
“Forgive me, Lord.
“Thank you for sending help when I didn’t ask and even though I didn’t acknowledge it.”
I was reminded this morning of my neglect when I read Hebrews 1:14.
“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
Wow.
I inherited salvation when I confessed faith in Jesus Christ with my words and my baptism.
I also inherited the provision of a guardian angel or angels.
We’ve all seen the comic pictures of a character with an angel on one shoulder and a demon on the other. Each are trying to persuade the person in the middle to make a decision that is helpful or harmful.
What Hollywood treats as a joke is, in an unseen spiritual sense, actually what happens. You’ve felt it and I’ve felt it.
I’m grateful that the unseen reality is that the angel is more powerful than the demon and can — through the power of God — restrict the power of the demon to torment or tempt us.
I Corinthians 10:13 says that God will not allow us to be tempted in ways that overwhelm our level of ability to say “No!”
He always provides a way of escape from the temptation if we’ll just look at where the angel is pointing our attention.
Who do you think God uses as His agent in blocking Satan’s demon from bringing hell’s ultimate temptations and fury against you? Your guardian angel, that’s who.
Who do you think is being used by the Holy Spirit to awaken your mind to the avenue of escape from temptations that have trapped you before? Your guardian angel, that’s who.
When your heart is absolutely crushed by loss or by your failure, who does God use to help you endure until emotional or physical or financial provision comes from on high? Your guardian angel, that’s who.
When Jesus was stretched to His physical limit in the 40 days of wilderness tempting, who came to comfort Him following His time of intense prayer and spiritual battle with Satan? Ministering angels, that’s who. (Matthew 4:11).
When Satan was given permission by God to sift Peter during the days before Christ’s death, who did God use to restrict how much temptation the fisherman would encounter?
An angel, I’m sure.
The angel must have winced when Peter betrayed Christ, yet Peter was left with his free will. If the angel had prevented Peter from making a bad choice, then Peter would have never felt the depth of remorse or the deliverance of repentance.
He would have never known that God’s grace can cleanse even the filthiest of sin’s stains.
I’m glad that there is an angel watching over me.
I’m glad that I’m not totally on my own.
I couldn’t stand up if Satan were allowed a free shot with no intercessory limits enforced by my guardian angel.
You couldn’t, either.
I’ll meet that angel in heaven, I’m sure.
And I will pour out words of gratitude for the faithful service to God in guiding me and guarding me.
When God looks at me and says, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” He will also be saying the same, I’m sure, to the angel who helped me during the good times, the bad times, the spiritual times and the sinful times.
Dear friend, thank God that He has appointed an angel to guide you and guard you.
And be grateful in advance for the incredible moment of blessing when you meet that divine intercessor without whom you will not stand in faith on earth and stand forever in praise in heaven.
As always, I love you
Martin
