“Keep an eye out for angels at work in your life, so you can find hope, peace, faith, and love.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – July 19, 2023
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Psalm 34:7…Angels came and were ministering to him [Jesus]. Matthew 4:11, ESV
Angels are mentioned approximately 300 times in Scripture, yet I rarely know or acknowledge their presence. Why? Maybe because they seem a bit mysterious, with white robes and wings…and…are angels even relevant to my everyday life as I try to make it through the day? So, to become more aware, I began last month praying one of the older prayers of the church during my daily morning prayers, “Grant O Lord, the angel of peace, a faithful guide, guardian of souls, and bodies, to encamp around me, ever to prompt what is salutary.” I rested in the biblical imagery and the peace and security of recognizing the activity of angels around me. Angels are not a substitute for God but messengers of God helping facilitate His will.
The Psalm above provides the promise of the protection of the Lord’s angel to those who fear Him and the assurance of divine deliverance. The Bible does not prescribe a formula for how to guarantee angelic protection, as this is part of the mystery of heaven and how faith plays an intricate role. But we do know that angels are actively at work as emissaries of God’s heart. The Matthew passage describes the stunning occasion of Jesus just after His forty-day fast and His encounter with the devil in the wilderness. Here, at His point of complete emotional, physical, and spiritual exhaustion, the angels came to minister to Him. Yes, ministering angels served our Lord. In Christ’s case, the angels came after the battle with Satan for healing and recovery.
Spurgeon unpacks how God’s plan for the temptation of Jesus was for His angels to engage after Jesus faced and fought the enemy wielding the sword of Scripture,
Had there been any angels there to help Him in the duel with the adversary, they might have shared the honor of the victory, but they must stay away till the fight is over, and when the foe is gone, then the angels come. It has been noted that it does not say that the angels came very often and ministered to Jesus, as much as to make us think that they were always near, that they hovered within earshot, watching and ready to interpose if they might. They were a bodyguard round about our Lord, even as they are today about His people, for “are they, not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” But the moment that the fight was over, then the angels came and ministered to Christ.
God’s angels may engage before, during, or after our battles.
Keep an eye out for angels at work in your life, so you can find hope, peace, faith, and love. The Lord may send someone your way whom you may never see again, yet, her words, prayer, connection to another, or financial gift may be just what you need. Messengers of the Lord may shock you with radical ideas like the angel who explained to Mary that she would be the mother of the Savior and Lord of the world, God’s son…Jesus Christ! But do not dismiss what may be a divine word just for you. Pray to Almighty God for Him to protect, prompt and provide for you with His angels. And maybe the Lord is leading you to be like an angel to another. Pray first, as sometimes, like with Jesus, the ministering is needed most after the loss: death, divorce, or disease. Or, like the three Hebrews in Daniel, you may need to step into the fire to protect one.
“Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God” (Daniel 3:28).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise you for the protection, prompting, and provision of your angels for me through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name.
Application
Consider these three resources on Angels: Spurgeon’s complete sermon. Dr. David Jeremiah’s book on Angels. Billy Graham’s book on Angels.
Related Reading
Genesis 1:9-10; Matthew 28:1-7; Acts 7:53; Revelation 19:10, 22:8-9
Worship Resource
Hillsong Worship: Angels
Donate
If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider a donation to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision.
Download our app!
