It was a lovely surprise to receive a link to a song a friend felt inspired to share. I will say it even made me cry the first few times I heard it, as the lyrics and message speak to my heart and spirit.
The song is “Angels Among Us” by Alabama. Here is a link to the song if you have a few moments to take a listen.
I find the refrain so meaningful…
"Oh, I believe there are angels among us Sent down to us from somewhere up above They come to you and me in our darkest hours To show us how to live, to teach us how to give To guide us with the light of love."
Aren’t there times in life when God sends angels to grace our lives?
Like…
…the helpers during a natural disaster?
…the friends who listen with both their ears and hearts?
…those who protected us from danger?
…the like-minded spiritual friends to encourage our faith journey?
Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. –Hebrews 13:1-3 (NLT)
Our greatest calling in this life is to truly love one another as our brothers and sisters. We are united in Christ. Do we reach out to the strangers who come into our lives, seeing how they enrich our lives as well as theirs? We all need those special angels as we remain open to God’s orchestrations. Can you listen to others and empathize with their situation, whether they are in prison or need fairness in their lives? How can we reach out in love?
Photo courtesy of one2c900d under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
As God’s perfect orchestrations continue in my life, I had the pleasure of meeting an angel this past week. I was at a day retreat where I knew no one and jumped in to help pass out papers from the speaker. In doing so, a stranger asked about the shirt I was wearing that had a Christian message about love on it, which was from an independent musician I know. This stranger was also one of four people who shared a story in her faith journey when the speaker engaged the audience. After she asked about my shirt, I had an inkling to share one of my books with her, and I definitely got confirmation after her sharing. Leave it to God to place her right behind me when we were getting our food, which led to us sitting together at lunch.
We had a lovely conversation during the hour lunch, and she asked to hug me during that blessed encounter, which was special to both of us. Once again, two strangers shared stories of the Lord at work in their lives. We exchanged contact information as we live an hour and a half from each other. We talked and shared a few more hugs before we departed for the day. What a God-given opportunity! She mentioned a few times that day that I was the angel that God sent her. I felt the same about meeting her.
Two days later, she called to share some things that had touched her as she started reading my first book, God’s Presence Illuminated. Our conversation lasted about two hours, which flew by as we both listened and shared, being able to relate perfectly to what the other was sharing. As only God can orchestrate, two days after that phone conversation, we enjoyed a three hour lunch! In our three encounters in less than a week, this stranger, this angel, has already inspired and encouraged my faith journey in countless ways.
Photo courtesy of BK under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Be encouraged, as the song reminds us, to see how God will use you to be an angel this week to…
…show others how to live.
…teach others how to give.
…guide others with the light of love.
…grace others with mercy in their time of need.
Can you please contribute to the writing of this reflection? In the comment section below, please share a time when God sent an angel to you in your darkest hour. Has someone shared that you have been an angel in disguise to them in some way? Thank you in advance for taking time to share your story.
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? –Hebrews 1:14 (NIV)
Hi Christine, when I was a teenager (maybe 15 or 16) my friends and I used to swim in a “creek” that fed the Delaware River (I grew up outside of Philadelphia). We’d jump off of a dock when the tide was going out, float down to the bridge (about 500 yards), climb up on the pilings below the bridge and sit and wait until there was a “slack tide” (the water was basically static) and swing on a rope that we had tied through the storm drain up on the road. One day we jumped off as we had many times before and one of my friends went under. I ran to the edge of the dock, dove in and got to him before he went under for good. As is typical in someone in that situation, he fought me the entire way to the bridge, pushing me under in order to keep himself up out of the water. To say it was a struggle was an understatement. In that moment, I was more mad about having to “fight” him to get him down to the bridge and not thinking that I had done anything extraordinary. He eventually moved away but we kept in touch as best as possible. It wasn’t until I was on a business trip to Texas (at that point I hadn’t physically seen him for approx. 25 years) that I was able to meet up with him again (he was living in Houston). As we were talking and catching up he told his wife that I was his angel and that if I wasn’t there that day swimming, he wouldn’t be sitting there talking (or married to his wife, had kids, etc.). I never really looked at it that way until that moment. I thought I did what I was supposed to do. We still talk a few times a year and every once in a while he brings up our swimming adventure that day and he still thanks me. He’s my friend, that’s what friends do, right? I know he would have done the same for me.
Wow, Jeff: I so appreciate you sharing that amazing angel story! It gave me goose bumps thinking of the miracle that your friend is alive today because of you stepping in. How very special that you were able to see him after all those years too. We just never know how our actions can impact others! Thank you for faithfully reading and for sharing. I appreciate you! God bless~