HAVE YOU EVER TALKED WITH AN ANGEL?

I told our Foundery staff a story yesterday and have decided to 'go public' with it today!

If you know me, you'll probably know that I have taken many retreats over the years.  These retreats served a dual purpose:  spiritual refreshment and sermon planning.

I have a deep reservoir of memories from these times away which were usually about a week in length.  I found numerous places that accommodated my needs.  I wrote about some of those places in a blog in February: https://hal-lelujah.blogspot.com/2024/02/sitting-by-sea.html

One time, I was at Mt. Zion in Roaring Branch, PA.  They placed me in a small house with a living room/kitchen on the main floor and bedroom and bath on the second.  I was seriously isolated on a country road that only caused a few cars to go by in any given day.  No cell service - except for one spot in the driveway where - if the weather was right - I could get two bars and sustain a two-minute conversation with Deb.  :-)

My schedule changes a lot when I'm on retreat.  I sleep a lot at first.  Then, I fall into a routine that is determined as I go.  I may work half the night, then sleep a while and get up to go for a prayer hike.  

This night, I had worked all afternoon and evening.  In the dark of the night at around 3:00 AM, I had been reading my Bible.  Some of the verses I came to were:

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."  [Matthew 18:10]

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it."  [Hebrews 13:2]

"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"  [Hebrews 1:14]

With my Bible on my lap, my head laid back against the lounger, and in the dim light of my retreat house, I began to wonder about these verses.  The following thoughts came to my mind:

• Did I actually have a guardian angel who accompanied me everywhere I went and in everything I did?
• Had this angel protected me at times that I was not aware of?
• Did he have the power to influence me?
• How many times had he guided me without me even being aware of it?

After pondering these machinations of my mind for a lengthy period of time, I considered the possibility of talking to my angel.  No one else would hear.  No one else would know - until now. 😉  Would he converse with me?  Would something supernatural take place if I ventured down this path?

Then, I just did it.

Reverently and respectfully, I began to thank my guardian angel for always being with me.  I wondered aloud if he had been involved at different times when I had experienced close calls?  I expressed appreciation for his twenty-four-hour watch over my life through all the years I had experienced up to that point!  

These moments were holy to me!  I felt the presence of God and much of my prayer diverted to Him for providing such a watch-guard over my life!  

I sat in the silence and dim light soaking in this precious moment.  

Eventually, I turned out the light, climbed the steps and fell into my bed!  I slept as soundly as I had ever slept - knowing that I was being protected by a strong, alert and capable warrior of God!  

No.  He did not speak to me.  And, no.  I have not made any attempt to speak to him again.  But I talk with his Boss - A LOT EVERY DAY!  

AN INTERVENTION OF GOD?

In watching the news over the last several days, I've been motivated to write today about another possibility.  We've just emerged from a time of major crisis!  We were at a point where war was imminent!   If the Iran missiles had taken lives, then President Trump's response would have been very different.  It's likely that we would be in a full-fledged conflagration with Iran right now.

First of all:  thanks be to God!  No one wants war!

I've heard two prominent explanations for the fact that no lives were lost as a result of the Iranian retribution launch.  First, some say that they deliberately launched with no intent to take American lives.  The evidence for this is supported by the fact that via Iraq, they notified the American forces BEFORE the launch.  The destruction of property has been catalogued, but no loss of life was documented.

However, there's a second view that has been put forward by the Presidents' Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley.  He suggested that the Iranians did target with the intention of killing American troops.  This implies either incompetence [rather than intention] or faulty equipment as the reason that no lives were lost.  Hmmm...who is right?

I would suggest another alternative - one that I hope someone brings to the attention of our president. In my humble opinion, it is the most likely scenario.

On the evening of the Iranian threats and launch, thousands of military families were thrown into alarm.  Their family members (sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers) were in the midst of the crisis.  Their response?  PRAYER!

However, not only those military families prayed;  tens of thousands of Christians across this country (maybe even more) began to cry out to God for protection over our troops!  The throne of God was assaulted with a barrage of prayers seeking protection for our forces in harm's way!  It's impossible to gauge this response or even imagine how many were calling on God's mercy and power.

And I believe God responded by diverting these missiles away from our hunkered down troops!  I don't know if God used angels to alter the direction of these missiles or if God used a finger to do so. Or perhaps the great God Almighty simply willed them to their fruitless destinations.  But the end result was clear:  there was NO LOSS OF LIFE!

To those who may agree with this assessment, please join me in praying that someone will alert President Trump to this third possibility.  He needs to have a greater understanding of the power of God.  He needs to be given the opportunity to at least consider that we are not at war today because GOD INTERVENED in response to the united prayers of His people!

THANKS BE TO GOD!  

Let's also lift our prayers to God for the grieving families who lost loved ones in the Ukrainian jet that was mistakenly shot down a few hours after the missile launch!  In an unimaginable and ironic twist, they are suffering the loss that was intended for the Americans.

God, comfort the grieving in their anger and pain.  Awaken Iran and its leaders to Your awesome power and love!  For the Kingdom's sake.  Amen.