Mike Focht 11/8/2024
God, please just send me an angel! Most of us have said or thought something like this at one point. Maybe we were looking for direction. Maybe it was for protection. Maybe we just wanted a sign to know God was with us. Whatever the situation, most of us have wished for angels.
To be fair, the Scriptures are filled with angelic appearances and activity. We see angels speaking, protecting, providing, guiding, cooking, and interacting with those who obey God and those who disobey God. From Genesis to Revelation, the Scriptures are filled with angels. Seeing God work through His angelic servants naturally stirs a wishful desire in us. There is a seed of faith in every angelic wish.
But does that make wishing for angels right? Should we ask God to send us an angel at troubling moments? What does the Bible have to say to those who wish for angelic activity in their personal lives? How can we maturely think through this desire or hope?
First, the Bible is clear that angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation. That means humans are not weird, strange, or out of God’s will to look for, hope for, or expect angelic activity. God serves His own purposes in our lives through angelic activity. The servanthood of angels is evident in numerous Scriptures.
Second, though angels minister to us they are not necessarily our servants. I mean, they do not report to us. They are God’s servants. They move at His will and His desire. That said, we don’t necessarily have to ask for their involvement. God will send them as needed. God did so for His Son. As the Son of Man, Jesus was a rightful recipient of angelic ministry. As the Son of Man, not just because He is the Son of God. God will continue to send His angels to minister to us as His adopted sons and daughters.
Third, as our Example, the angelic interaction with Christ gives us a template for when we should also expect angelic activity. Angels were involved when the supernatural was required. Natural means could not have convinced Joseph and Mary of the virgin birth. Natural means could not have announced His arrival. Natural means could not have strengthened Christ after His forty days of temptation with Satan in the wilderness. Natural means could not have strengthened Him in the Garden of Gethsemane when He accepted the cup from His Father’s hand. Natural means could not have declared the truth the same way at Christ’s resurrection or ascension.
What does all this tell us? It tells us that God will send us angels when we need them. If we don’t need them, and natural means are enough, there is no reason to wish for them. If you wish for an angel, and God hasn’t sent one, it is for the very good reason that you don’t require an angel. You need good old faith and obedience. God won’t send angels when they are not required. But rest assured, if angelic ministry is necessary, if the natural process of faith and obedience in our lives requires supernatural assistance, God will send His angels whether we wish for them or not.