Entertaining Angels

Hebrews 13:2 – Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! (NLT)

When death may be just around the corner, even encouragement from a stranger is appreciated.

Sam's heart was barely functioning, and many of his vital organs were being affected. He'd been on the transplant list for quite some time, but so far, no luck. The doctors were now telling him that an artificial heart was his only hope. If the heart doctor didn't agree to perform the surgery, a bag giving him a steady supply of morphine to keep him comfortable was the only option.

Ten minutes before the pharmacy closed, Sam suddenly realized that one of his heart medications had run out. He made a quick call, and the pharmacist assured him that he would stay there after hours to fill it. As Sam walked toward the pharmacist, a bearded gentleman entered from the side and said, "Hey, I need to talk to you. I need to tell you that everything is going to be okay."

After a quick U-turn, the man exited the drug store. The pharmacist, curious as well, immediately left his station to find this peculiar stranger. But no one was around, and no cars, except Sam's, were in the parking lot. Sam was sure that he'd just seen an angel.

I doubt that angels look as I've often imagined — with white robes and wings. And while they don't share all of God's supernatural traits, they do possess powers that surpass ours.

God has angels who guard His people as they did Lot and his family when God was about to rain down fire and brimstone on their place of residence. They operate under God's direction to carry out His plan for us.

God can also use angels to inform us of His plan, as He did when Mary was told that she would give birth to the Messiah. I doubt that they will come dressed in white, so we will entertain them without knowing it — meaning that each will look like a regular person — perhaps a bearded gentleman.

Testing our faith is another reason that God uses angels. He puts them in our paths and dresses them as people that we might ordinarily avoid, just to see if we'll overlook our prejudices or trust Him enough to act on their best behalf.

Let's be on the lookout. We never know when God will ask us to entertain angels.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the protective force of angels that You place around us each day. Amen.