The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Why Angels Serve"
A good friend recently asked me to listen to a series of messages on angels, delivered by a well known preacher. The messages are good, Biblically based, and have led to a number of interesting considerations.
"The angels… Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:13-14).
The preacher offers quite a few anecdotal experiences of Christians who believe themselves to have been served by angels regarding matters of protection, guidance, and provision. This raised a question in my mind: what is the purpose for such angelic involvement and intervention?
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:30-31).
"Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31).
God sends angels to benefit believers in all the ways mentioned by the preacher. Their purpose - His purpose - involves our knowing His love, and responding to Him in kind. Indeed, angels (excepting fallen demonic angels) do what they do not to draw attention to themselves, but rather to the Creator they serve. The traces of footprints they seek to leave in our hearts are not their own, but rather their Lord's. Ask any angel if they desire to be remembered for their service, and doubtless, and all would respond as did the Psalmist regarding human devotion: "Not unto us, o Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy and Thy truth's sake!" (Psalm 115:1). The angels would have us direct all love and glory to God alone. Of course, this does not mean we cannot appreciate their role and ministry. However, we can be sure they desire and need no acknowledgement from us, but rather hope we will remember Who sent and enabled them to serve us.
Along these lines, we may surmise that when Lucifer rebelled against God, he likely tempted all of the angelic host to follow him in his anarchy against God (Revelation 12:4). He certainly tempts all human beings with such darkness. Thus, the host of angels that remained faithful to the Lord all made a fundamental, elemental choice of the heart to do so in the face of great devilish pressure. Such ones, God bless them, do what they do for the glory of the Lord, and our chief benefit. Again, this involves knowing our Lord's love in Christ, and loving Him in response. This is why angels serve us, be it in matters of protection, guidance, or provision. Such realization certainly elicits grateful appreciation for this holy company of servants, even as it directs our hearts to more love and honor the Lord who sends them.
"Bless the LORD, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word."
(Psalm 103:20)
Weekly Memory Verse
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.
(Psalm 90:17)
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