What Angels Teach Me

And about the angels He says: He makes His angels winds, and His servants a fiery flame. Hebrews 1:7

Angels are God’s ministers.  They are like the wind; forceful and unseen.  They are like fire; formidable and powerful.  They are under God’s sovereign control and it is ‘He’ who makes the angels like wind and fire.  They do not shape their own likeness.  It is not in their power to do so.  They do not decide their mission.  It is not their place to do so.

God’s children can learn from angels.  They do not usurp authority from the One they worship.  They know their place.  Jesus is superior to them and they defer to Him.  It is their privilege to be His servants and messengers.

Yet, we assess our gifts and often decide how we are going to use them for God.  We use logic to discern all this but God’s way cannot be driven by logic…. not in the ways created beings can invent.  Faith and logic usually collide.  We serve God with our gifts by faith.

• If I have a hospitality gift, God’s plan might be for me to entertain one neighbor for coffee instead of hosting a Sunday School class for twenty. Numbers are not a compass for flawless decision making.  How will I know which one is His will unless I come to God in humility and ask Him to show me?
• If I have the gift of music, God’s plan might be for me to spend time at the piano quietly worshiping instead of ambitiously trying to gain an audience at church. I can quickly forget that my life is about God and me first.  If I don’t worship when I’m alone, how valuable will my public ministry be?
• If I have the gift of helps, God’s plan might be for me to help an enemy instead of a friend. Decisions can’t be made on the basis of who will appreciate it more.
• If I have the gift of mercy, God’s plan might be for me to see the need but then withhold comfort so that His hurting child will go to Him instead of to me. How often have I tried to lessen someone’s pain, all the while believing I am doing God’s work, when I am really obstructing it?  Idolatry is rampant when God’s children turn to each other by default.  Second hand faith never sustains.

Upon opening my eyes in the morning, my prayer will resemble that of the angels ~

“Good morning, Lord. I love you and this day is yours.  What do you have for me?  Guide every decision as I defer to You.  Amen”