Angels Are Everywhere

God Moments:
Angels are Everywhere
Peggy Kelley Mack
July 21, 2013

Have you ever had a moment in time when you wonder what made you do a certain thing; for example, like going to your room and taking an old book from the shelf that you have not touched in years?  That's what happened to me a few days ago.   In my search for a few devotional books to add to my resources to begin morning devotional time, I visited my bookshelf.  There on the shelf was a tiny book I barely remembered.  It is titled, "Angels are Everywhere."
It intrigued me because in recent years I have adopted this belief that WE are the angels who walk on Earth or, at least, we have the potential of being used by God as an angel to do kind deeds. I have allowed myself to be that someone who helps and I have received the blessing of being "touched by an angel."  The more I believe that theory, the more I see examples of it.
I opened the book, "Angels are Everywhere" and was surprised to discover a message inside the front cover thanking me for being the teacher of her little daughter, Seela Smith.  Along with the message of gratitude was a photo of Seela in Kindergarten.  My memories went back to the last day of school, so many years ago, when her mother was genuinely filled with gratitude and had often called me an angel. 
With that memory fresh in my mind, I took the book with me and added it to my collection with two others to read each morning.  As the days passed, I kept remembering moments when angels have come to my rescue or touched my life and the incidents are too many to count or to tell.  If I had collected each of them in a basket over time, the basket would certainly be full. For now, they fill my heart to the brim with so much gratitude.

There is one angel, in particular, who comes to mind and the reason is because, several months later, when we remembered her kind act, we were both in awe and knew without any doubt that God was with us in that moment.  I regret that I cannot remember her name but my mind often forgets now and leaves me shaking my head.  This lady and her husband had attended classes on Thursday night with me.  We studied evangelism and how to make it part of our daily conversations and how to seize the moment when someone has questions that they want answered about faith.  I saw the couple on Sunday mornings and greeted them on my way to my favorite pew near the stained glass window and the warm sunlight.   In recent weeks, my worship often had my heart opened so widely to the heartache I was living at home and I simply could not contain my tears.  On this particular morning, I felt an arm around my shoulder and a presence sitting beside me.   When I quietly looked up, it was the lady from my evangelism group.   She took my hand in hers and slipped a silver ring with the emblem of a fish on it on my left hand ring finger and patted my hand and closed it.  After the service she said, It's important to me that you wear this.  Whatever you are going through this will remind you that you are loved and you will get through this.   I took it without hesitation which is so unusual for me.  I just smiled, accepted it and gave her a hug.  I wore that ring for ten weeks.  During that time, I finally found the moment to get past my fears and to leave home with a few pieces of furniture, some keepsakes and clothing.  I moved into another angel's home who had begged me three times to come live with her if it got unbearable.  After I was safe in my new surroundings, I returned the ring one Sunday.  That is when I learned her side of the story.  

She had been sitting three pews behind me that special morning.  She had seen me bow my head and wipe away my tears and felt compelled to get up and comfort me.  Then she said, as clear as could be, she understood it was important that I have that ring.  The simple silver band with the emblem of the fish was a visual and tactile reminder to me that I was not alone and would find the strength I needed to begin my new life. 

You see, I know there are angels among us.  We find them in our fellow human beings who love God and understand that we are His feet, eyes, hands and voice.  Once we understand, we begin to listen for those moments that say, "reach out and help this person, they need you."  I regret that I have never seen this sweet lady again and now live 500 miles away in my new home.  The memory of her and her amazing act of loving kindness remains with me today.

What better way to thank God for our lives and all we have than to do simple, loving acts of kindness when we hear a still small voice say, "Help them!"

Yes, I say, there are angels among us to help us on our way.  There are angels everywhere and we can be part of that amazing ministry of kind acts for others.  All we have to do is open our eyes to others needs and reach out to them in loving kindness.  It seems so little to ask when God gives us so much.  Let us not only believe that God sends his heavenly angels to watch over and protect us, but that he invokes individuals to answer His call to serve in a single moment as an angel for someone who needs our help.  We ask nothing in return because we know it is our Father in Heaven using us as instruments in His loving kindness.  Consider it the now popular, "Pay it Forward".  Call it whatever you like but if you have not opened your heart to the miracles that come in kindness, try it today.

Dear Heavenly Father,
When I leave home today, make me mindful of others around me and make me silent so I can listen for that still small voice that says,
"Help them as I have helped you!"
Amen

"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.   "Psalm 91:11 (NIV)