Guardian Angels

Image by anslatadams-Getting better, Thank you for your pra via Flickr

"Guardian Angels" By Diane Webb

Psalms 34: 7—"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."

What an awesome promise this verse gives to those of us who fear the Lord. We have angels camping around us! There is not one among us who cannot remember being delivered of mortal danger at one time or another. Think about that time you ran a stop sign or red light and was barely missed—but you were missed. Remember other close calls as you think about today's verse. Fear of the Lord shows deep respect, deference to his authority, and fear of his judgment. Fear of the Lord is the only fear we need have. If we fear the Lord there is no other thing that has the power to harm us without God's permission (or our own permission given we have free will). God, in the life of Job, gave permission for Satan to do many things to Job but declared Satan could not take Job's life (Job 2: 6). You may say that God's angels have not protected you and can name many harms that have come to you over your lifetime. However, if you are reading this then you are still alive and have, therefore, been delivered from death. Like Job, we may suffer terrible loss and physical ailment. But, also like Job, our life will be spared and when are trial is over God will give us back what we lost and more. There is an old Victorian era painting which shows a guardian angel protecting two children. In some paintings the children are crossing a rickety, damaged bridge. In another paining they are perilously close to the side of a cliff. In either painting, the protecting of the children is obvious and comforting to those of us who believe God can, and does, protect us. If God chooses to bring one of us home it is because he knows what is best for us and, perhaps, wants to spare us from the suffering on earth. The concept of a guardian angel has been overlooked and even disputed by many Christian denominations. The verse today, however, is clear in the implication that, yes, we do have angels protecting us. Psalms 91: 11 says, "For He will give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Daniel 6: 22 confirms the concept: "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me: and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt." What could we possibly have to fear other than God himself? God has the power of life and death in his hands. He can say "yes" or "no" to Satan himself. The whole world is subject to His authority—even those who have rebelled. Even when we give permission for Satan to harm us (by doing things outside God's will and by willfully doing things that can cause our own death), God still tries to save us—from ourselves and our stupid decisions. There is a man who has been diagnosed and treated for five different cancers—one at the time—yet none have been found to have metastasized (spread). This man is not within the will of God in his life and continues to rebel against God's authority. What is interesting is that he is getting so many chances. It is God's intention that not one single one of his children will be lost. He wants to gather each and every one of us under his wing. Even those of us who are refusing to stay under his wing—he wants to protect us. He does not want any one of us will die without accepting Jesus as our savior and being in a right relationship with Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for second chances. I fully accept what you offer and submit myself to your will. I accept Jesus as my savior and dedicate the rest of my life to serving you in Jesus' name, Amen.