Believe in Angels

25Nov

From the Archives

What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised form the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven – and the future starts now! You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him – with laughter and singing. Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this!
- 1 Peter 1:3-4, 8, 12, The Message

In our weekly Bible study where we read and reflect on the Gospel for the upcoming Sunday we often read it a second time from The Message, a contemporary translation of the Bible by Eugene Peterson. This has helped us often with a more difficult reading. I chose The Message version of today’s reading because for me it captured the joy Peter felt as he conveyed to the exiles “scattered to the four winds” the message of salvation of their souls.

As I did a bit of research I discovered that this reading from 1 Peter is viewed as one of the most loved passages in Scripture. It is valued because it describes how God has blessed us in Christ, and because our inheritance as God’s children is “eternal, full of glory and secured forever.” Though we haven’t seen Jesus we are encouraged to trust him and to do so with laughter and singing. I don’t know about others, but that image warms my heart and makes my soul sing. I agree with 1 Peter that we are fortunate and we are blessed beyond measure because God first so loved us and has imbued us with His grace.

The other part of the reading which touched me was that “angels would have given anything to be in on this!” Anyone who knows me well knows that I, like the words from an Abba song, “believe in angels.” Perhaps that belief started with my learning and reciting a prayer to my guardian angel as a child. There have been countless times in my life when I have tried to listen to my better angel when times are difficult; and I have absolutely no doubt that angels are among us here on earth. The thought that even those angels whom we often see depicted as messengers of God aren’t as fortunate as we confounds and yet reassures me that God’s blessings on us through Jesus and the Holy Spirit are gifts beyond measure.  

Musical Reflection - I Have A Dream - ABBA

Loving and gracious God, thank you for the blessings you have bestowed upon us. Thank you for assuring us of salvation through faith. May we never lose sight of your gifts. May we always strive to live by faith with joy in our hearts. May we never cease to feel eternal gratitude for life itself and for all the angels who walk among us. Amen.
New Testament

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