Angels among us

Published in the Fiji Times on Friday, May 08, 2009

My son, Francisco-Xavier, has a bedtime prayer which he prays every night and often adapts for his morning prayer: "Oh Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here. Ever this night/day be at my side; to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen."

At first when he started to recite this prayer, it was at his hyperactive pace, which is often quite close to the speed of light. However as he started to teach his little sister Antonia, he began to slow down and I was able to hear the words clearly for the first time.

Too often we forget that God has his divine agents at work in this world as well as the many humans who committed their lives to serving him. In doing so we neglect the fact that much of the good we do is not merely our own doing and that those gentle nudges and prods and perhaps the odd firm push in the right direction in our moments of indecision, lack of faith and lapse of courage are the work of angels.

It is easy in an age where angels and the mystical elements of the Divine are subjected to the same treatment as science fiction, to overlook the metaphysical elements of the bible.

In Psalm 34:7 it is written, "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." (New International Version)

There was a prophet in the Old Testament, the prophet Elisha. At a certain time he was in a city besieged by a large alien army that was there to take him, to capture him. His servant went up on the roof and pointed out to him the tremendous numbers of the opposing army, but Elisha prayed for that young servant and said, "Lord, open this young man's eyes." And when He opened his eyes he saw the armies of God around about the prophet, far greater in number and infinitely greater in power than those invading alien armies (2 Kings 6: 14-17).

Luke writes, in the Acts of the Apostles, of the angel freeing the apostles from prison and commanding them to continue to preach and teach in defiance of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Acts 5:17-25).

Derek Prince writes, "Do you believe in angels? I want to tell you that I do. I believe there are myriads and myriads of good angels who are given charge over God's people.

Another passage says that God will give His angels charge over us to guard us in all our ways. I tell you, I believe we need the guardianship, the protection and the support of angels. I'm glad to know that wherever I go there's an angel of God that encamps around about me and he delivers me. I believe that if God could open our eyes we'd see it's true today. Those that be with us are more than those that be with them. We have a great unseen army on our side."

Whenever we feel, alone, dejected and disempowered, be encouraged, take heart and open our senses to the presence of the Lord's angels encamping round about us to deliver us.

May your week be blessed with love, light, peace and the awareness of God's angels in our midst.
* Reverend Bhagwan, an award-winning radio and television producer and writer, is a Librarian and Assistant Lecturer at the Methodist Davuilevu Theological College. All
* Opinions expressed in this article are personal and do not necessarily reflect the opinion and policies of the Methodist Church in Fiji or any organisation that Mr Bhagwan is affiliated with. Email: padrejamesgmail.com