A GUY WEARING AN ANGEL SUIT. Pts. 1-6

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)

On the way to a local restaurant today, my grandson, “James” and I were talking about angels, and whether or not Christians have any business talking to them. With this, I cited a couple of examples from scripture in which angels intervened on behalf of Old and New Testament believers.

However, I went on to caution him that, whereas, we can be sure angels are still active in the lives of God’s people, our conversation should be directed towards the One who created them; (with the very rare exception that one materializes in our bedroom, like the Ghost of Christmas Present, and brings us a personal message from the Almighty).

Speaking of the presence and personal intervention of an angelic visitation, it wasn’t all that long ago that an evangelist with the initials T.B. ‘materialized’ in central Florida and claimed he regularly interacted with an angel named, “Emma.”

Well, my friends, I don’t know about that.

Whereas, I am skeptical that “Rev. B.” (or anyone else) has experienced a myriad of personal visitations of the angelic variety, having been exposed to a few miracles in my life, my faith in what is commonly considered ‘impossible’ is nothing short of overwhelming. 

Pt. 2

But to return to my conversation with my 14 year old grandson.

At this point, I “stepped it up a notch” and I revealed to James that I had once run ‘smack dab’ into what I was then, and am still convinced was a bonified angel.

Following is a previous account which I wrote describing my, admittedly, unusual experience.

Several months ago I found myself doing what I do almost every night, well, every morning if you call “dark city” morning. I jump on my slow, but trusty bike and head off on a 10 mile trek.

On this particular morning I happened to stop at an intersection, preparing to cross a 4 lane highway, and looked to my right. And strangely enough for 4am, I could just make out the form of a fella walking towards me on the sidewalk; perhaps 50 feet away.

Well, not being overly concerned about the man walking in my direction, I glanced one more time to my left, and prepared to “high tail it” across the highway. Mind you, no more than 2 seconds had elapsed since I had noticed the guy walking towards me on the sidewalk, and as I began peddling, I glanced back to my right.

And where a moment before there was what appeared to be a six foot, 170 pound man,

… only thin air greeted my gaze.

And since I peddle this same route every day it’s a familiar environment for me,

… (and this is the “wild card,”)

I’m aware of a 6-8 foot high wall that runs along that sidewalk, and which borders a gated community. There had been absolutely nowhere for “my friend” to go. He certainly didn’t vault the wall in record time, and since there are plenty of street lights along that stretch of highway, I would have seen him had he walked across the street.

Over the past year I have experienced a rather difficult season; something relating to rejection, and which kicked me in the figurative rear end. And as I reflect on it now, I think it was after this angelic visitation that the dark emotions with which I had contended began to lift.

I believe in angels, seen and unseen, and I’m thankful for their ministry to God’s people.

Pt. 3

And while James seemed to believe his own theoretical notion that it might be possible and preferable to engage an angel in an occasional conversation, when I shared the preceding experience with him, he ‘came out’ with the one of the funniest reflections I have heard in a very long time.

“No Way! You just saw some guy dressed up in an angel suit!”

And as hilarious as his response was, it occurred to me that “when push comes to shove” we are often too slow to transcend the theoretical, and to acknowledge the reality of heavenly messengers, and miracles in general.

Perhaps our secular society and much ‘head learning’ has robbed us of that childlike quality of unfettered belief in the impossible.

More than once I have written about the seeming inability or unwillingness, as the case may be, of our Heavenly Father to intervene in the lives of His people. I mean, we’ve all been there. And what are we to do with a scripture such as,

“No temptation has taken you such is as common to man. But God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted above that which you are able, but will with the temptation provide you a way of escape.” (1^st Corinthians 10:13)

Or conversely, what are we to do with allusions such as those of Hebrews Chapter 11 in which faithful believers lived in caves of the earth, were persecuted, sawn asunder and were eaten by lions and tigers? But more relevantly to you and me, what are we to do with the hurtful experiences and difficult issues which we encounter in life, and which seem to go unattended and unresolved?

Pt. 4

My friends, as a pastoral counselor, I am the first to tell you that I don’t have all the answers. And I don’t mind telling you that there have been plenty of times when it seemed God didn’t either, (or at least He wasn’t exactly keen on sharing them with me).

But I’m convinced that our Lord has been, is now, and will continue to be a magnificent prayer-answering, miracle-producing God, and isn’t just some impotent guy “dressed up in an angel suit.”

I think it is important to remember a few key concepts which ought to govern the hopes, dreams, and expectations we have of our Creator, as we encounter the cares and crises life throws our way, and which we might describe as unmet needs.

*While God is gracious and may graciously answer the prayers of those whom He has created, if we are to believe the implications of the New Testament, His time and attention is most often taken up with those who have entered into a relationship with Him; as the result of the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

*While God has encouraged us to let our requests be made known unto Him, He has also said that His ways are not our ways, and that His thoughts are not our thoughts, and that sometimes we “ask amiss.” Good, bad, or indifferent Providence must and will be the final arbiter.

In terms of this particular variable, I love the hypothetical conversation (which occurs in the movie, “Bruce Almighty”) between God and a young man temporarily endowed with His powers.

(Bruce)

They were so many prayers. I just gave them all

what they wanted.

(God)

And since when do they have a clue

about what they want?

(Bruce)

So what do I do?

(God)

Parting soup in a bowl is not a miracle, Bruce.

It’s a magic trick.

A single mom,

who’s working three jobs,

and still finds time

to take her son to practice,

that’s a miracle.

A teenager who says ‘no’ to drugs

and ‘yes’ to an education,

that’s a miracle.

People want me to do everything for them.

What they don’t realize

is they have often have the power to do for themselves.

Want see a miracle, son?

Be a miracle.

Pt. 5

*While God “loves us with an everlasting love” we live in a culture and resulting mindset of entitlement. Television advertisements assure us that we “deserve a break today” and that we should “go for the gusto” and that if we don’t get what we want, well, “these things ought not to be.” 

I especially like what a noted author had to say on the subject.

“As a Christian, I struggle with this concept of entitlement so heavily promoted in our culture. It has impacted the way we think about our relationships, deal with our finances, and manage our emotional and spiritual lives. When I am entitled, I begin to think people treat me unfairly or give me enough. Financially, I can end up in debt because I deserve to have what I want. Emotionally and spiritually, I can live in anger, resentment, and frustration because others are not responding to me in the ways I deserve. Just watch any reality TV show for examples. The shows are filled with entitled people who complain about not getting every whim met.

This excessive self-focus and self-indulgence promoted daily leads to selfishness and narcissistic behavior. We have kids who show respect to others, marriages that end because one spouse feels entitled to a better life, and debt up to our eyeballs because we buy what we cannot afford.

I am entitled to nothing, but incredibly blessed. As a Christian, God chooses to love me and give me good things because it is His will to do so. His goodness towards me has nothing to do with me earning anything. He offers us salvation through the gift of His Son. He justifies and redeems me and calls me His own. My efforts, money, and status have nothing to do with any of His goodness towards me.

I don’t deserve a break today! But occasionally, I experience one. I don’t owe it to myself to purchase a particular item, but occasionally I can. My children don’t deserve to get everything they want, but occasionally they do. School children do not deserve to feel good regardless of their behavior. And God doesn’t owe me anything, but liberally gives me much! (Linda Mintle, PhD)

Pt. 6

*While we live within the confines of time and space, God is not limited to such criteria. As He has reminded us, He is “the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.” 

I think we are too prone to ‘get off’ on the world which surrounds us, and our prayer requests are too easily shaped by what we might characterize as time and reality. My friends, this is simply not all there is, and time and reality must one day give way to eternity. And I think it is imperative that we begin to subjugate our so-called wants and needs to the presupposition of Providence.

That is not to say that when our prayers seem to hit a glass ceiling that we should immediately give up, nor charge the Creator with cruelness, unfairness or inattentiveness. God is still in the prayer answering business. But He has never quit being God, and He has never quit answering prayers in His own time and His own way.

I like the scene in the movie, “Rudy” in which a Notre Dame football wannabe walks into the school chapel, and sits down next to a priest. Engaging himself in conversation with the elderly pastor, he pleads his case, and demands some sort of understanding why he has yet to be chosen for the team.

His harangue elicits a half smile from the priest, and the old man responds with,

“Son, in this ‘business’ I’ve learned two immutable things. There’s one God (and) I’m not Him!”

My friends, very much like the presuppositions of the kindly cleric, I would encourage you that,

“There’s one God, and I’m not Him,” (nor, for that matter, are you) and that only Providence will truly “tell the tale.”

And thus, we come full circle.

I remain convinced that our Lord is not “just some man wearing an angel suit.” While we may never understand our days and His ways, we serve a God who is loving, and caring and giving, whose mercies are new every morning, and who is ever mindful of our needs.

(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Vol. 63. By William McDonald, PhD. Copyright pending.

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