Do you believe in angels? I do. I can recall having had a few angelic encounters in my lifetime. The first was a little more than 10 years ago, when my nephew was about 3 years old. Well, it was actually more his encounter, but I was with him when he kept insisting that there was someone waving and smiling at him from among the trees next to his grandparents home as we played on the porch. Overprotective aunt that I can sometimes be, I was at first extremely concerned that some stranger was hanging out in the bushes. So, I surveyed the area as carefully as was safe and saw no one, but I did notice a strange light coming from the area, and my nephew was certainly convinced someone was there.
Another encounter happened about two years ago, following the second surgery to remove my thyroid. Six people entered the operating room with me that day: my surgeon, the assisting surgeon, the anesthesiologist and her assistant, a nurse and an intern. A skeleton crew compared to the typical number of hospital personnel in an OR I was told. When I awoke about three hours later in the OR, I saw the previously mentioned six and about a dozen others standing around the room's perimeter as if keeping guard. Some might suppose it was the after effects of the anesthesia. Well, you can believe what you want, but something unusual happened to me in the OR that day that I suspect required divine intervention as I felt quite beaten up following and was taken to the cardiac wing to recover. (I was in much better condition after the first surgery!) Besides, I have Scripture to back me up. There's Psalm 91:11-12, which I quote at the beginning of this blog; Matthew 4:11; Hebrews 1:14; Hebrews 13:2; Revelation 7:11; and a host of others. Search it out for yourself.
Today, I had another angelic encounter and experienced first-hand how very literal God's promises are. It was about 12:30 when I headed out the front entry of my office building to walk across campus to visit my sister in her new office. I proceeded down the beautiful stone steps that grace the entry of my office building, and my mind becomes quickly preoccupied with the unexpected, but absolutely gorgeous, spring like weather (If you live in the northern U.S., you can appreciate what a treat a day like today is this time of year!). I'm practically ready to break out in song (really!) when the sole or heel of my boot gets caught in my pants leg and I start to tumble down the stone steps at an angle and head first. And there is nothing within reach for me to even try to grab onto to break the fall.
My first thought is... do I even have to say? What is one most likely thinking while falling down stone steps, head first? My next thought is "please God, don't let me hit my head." But before I can even scream for help, it felt as if someone slipped their hand under my right shoulder, lifted and turned me lengthwise onto the step. I immediately stopped falling. I didn't hit my head, and miraculously nothing was twisted, broken or sprained. In fact, the only injury I suffered (other than hurt feelings) was a skinned pinky. And as I looked around trying to make sense of what had just happened, I quickly realized that even if I had screamed for help, there was no human around to hear me. Within a few moments, I'm up on my feet as though I hadn't even fallen, and I continue walking to my sister's office.
After I arrived home tonight, I checked myself out again. Other than some mild soreness around my knee, there's no bruising and no swelling anywhere. Turns out, God literally does mean what He says about sending His angels to watch over His children. "If you stumble, [his angels will] catch you; their job is to keep you from falling." (Psalm 91:12 - The Message)
Of course, I will be more mindful when walking down or up stairs, but I feel eternally grateful and secure knowing that wherever I go, whatever I do, angels are watching over me. Thank you Lord for angels!! Thank you angels for keeping watch.
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