Angels Among Us

This morning at church for Mara's and my nursery class I acted out the part of the angel Gabriel. As we were figuring out a costume it made us start thinking a lot about angels. It was rather fun to think with the kids about all the different reports of angels in the Bible. To realize that sometimes they would appear and seem basically like men and sometimes their appearance would be rather frightening.

  At one point in my life I would have questioned whether Gabriel should have wings or not but for some reason this year when I was reading the book of Daniel aloud to the kids I finally really caught the fact that Gabriel did indeed come flying in when he came on a visit. So of course we had to fix wings for me to wear today. When I showed up in the classroom this morning to greet "Mary" (Mara) the kids were very excited to see me - one exclaiming "A Fairy!" and another "A Butterfly!" but thankfully they were quick to accept me as an angel instead.

 "While I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice." Daniel 9:21

"Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people." Revelation 14:6

 We had tried to figure out other things to make me look more angel like and Mara suggested a halo but since I don't know any biblical verses that speak of halos I didn't really want to encourage a quite possibly false idea (though our angel craft did end up with halos). I did dress in white. One other thing that we do know about angels is that they don't marry but thankfully I am not like an angel in that way. :-)

"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven." Matthew 22:30

It is interesting to read what angels are like but very honestly what I find most exciting to read about in the bible is what angels do that involves us. It is a lot more than we probably think about each day. Here are some verses that talk about that:

"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." Matthew 18:10

"Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10

"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them." Psalm 34:7

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Hebrews 13:2

"Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" Hebrews 1:14

 Aren't all those things pretty cool to think about?!!! I love to think about and try to grasp how there are really truly angels among us. That does also make me realize also all the spiritual forces of evil that are in our midst as well and I realize that we do truly have a battle going on but I am certainly excited to be on the winning side!