Christmas Angels

In speaking of the angels he says,
"He makes his angels spirits,
and his servants flames of fire." (Hebrews 1:7 NIV)

Angels are a big part of Christmas. There is Gabriel who gave Mary the news that she was to bear a son. There were the heavenly hosts that heralded Christ's birth. And who can forget all the beautiful little Christmas angels that run around in white choir robes and sparkly gold garland halos at church Christmas pageants?

"Angels," Frederick Buechner once wrote, "are powerful spirits whom God sends into the world to wish us well. [But] since we don't expect to see them, we don't."

I think there are the flashy kinds angels like Gabriel that God sends to us. But I think, more often, they are very normal looking. And that is why we miss them. Who could miss seeing Gabriel with his blinding white appearance? No... I think they more often look like you and me. Sometimes the actually ARE you and me.

This is not to discredit the existence of angels. I do believe! However, I also believe that the Holy Spirit occasionally brings us power and knowledge and desire at just the right time and place to be of unique help to another person. It is at these times we are indeed angels... Those very angels of which Buechner says "are powerful spirits whom God sends into the world to wish us well."

We don't need white choir robes and garland halos to be God's angels. We only have to be willing. The Holy Spirit will provide what we need.

Lord, show us the opportunities we have today to be an angel to someone and open our hearts to act upon them. Amen.

Joys: busy activity at church as we prepare for Christmas; hearing Cecelia quote her favorite parts of the book, "The Night Before Christmas"; two more days until Richard gets home.