Angels

Have you ever wished to have an an angel come and tell you what God wants you to do?  I know I have.  All you think is, "oh, an angel will come, give me some message, I will go do it, and it will be a fun experience."  Well, I realized something the other day: it does not work like that.

When an angel appears to someone in the New Testament the first words they usually say are "Do not be afraid."  Here are a few examples: Luke 1:13, 30, 2:10, and Rev 1:17.  A few days ago my small group leader said something that made me realize this is not just a passing welcome phrase.  Having an angel appear to you is truly frightening.  The sheer power and awe of an angel is overwhelming.  I doubt it would be the sunny, fun, grand experience we envision it as.

In light of this revelation, do I still want to have an angel appear to me?  Yes, I do.  Why?  Because God is even more awesome and powerful.  Because the fear seems to subside as they speak those words.  Because it would not be an experience easily forgotten.

So, while I do not expect an angel to appear to me, I know that if one does I will be terrified.  I know that it will not be what I expect.  Just remember, angels are not the cute little guys with wings and harps.  They are warriors.