What do we think about when we think about angels?
If our only source of information about angels is movies, television shows or social media, what we think about angels may not be correct. Surveys indicate a large percentage of Americans believe in angels.
Television shows including "Highway to Heaven," "Touched by an Angel" and others have influenced our thinking about angels.
Over four million people every holiday season watch the 75-year-old movie "It's a Wonderful Life. In this movie, Clarence is "angel 2nd class" working to "earn his wings." Of course, this is just a "made in Hollywood" movie for entertainment. Nothing in this movie about angels is factual.
When my children were young, we enjoyed spending long weekends at Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma. Early one morning during one of these weekends at Lake Eufaula, my nine-year-old son and his granddad went fishing in a small two-person boat.
After they had been fishing for a few hours, a feeling came over me that I should walk from the cabin to the lake shore and check on them.
As I walked toward the water's edge, a man I had not seen before was standing near the water looking at me as I approached the lake. He pointed to an object in the lake.
The closer I got to the water's edge; I could see the man was pointing to a small boat which had capsized a few moments earlier. I recognized this was the boat my son and grandpa were using. As I looked around the capsized boat initially, I could not see either (my son or grandpa) in the water.
I quickly ran into the lake fully clothed and pulled my son out of the murky lake water. Grandpa made his way back to dry land in good shape other than losing his glasses and being disoriented from the boat tipping over.
As my son lay on the shore coughing and shivering from the cold water, neighbors were gathering around us offering help. Several neighbors asked how I responded so quickly to the capsized boat, I said, "the man standing at the water's edge pointed to the overturned boat." As we looked around for the stranger, he was nowhere to be seen. Was this "stranger" a random guy or an angel? I may never know the answer.
Many people experience situations where reality and the unexplainable seem to collide. Clearly this was one of those "unexplainable" events in my life.
When we think about angels, we should remember, if angels are active in our life, it is at the direction of Jesus Christ.
We learn from Matthew 4:10 to worship the Lord our God and serve Him only. Additionally, we should remember the spiritual relationship we seek isn't with angels, it is with Jesus Christ.
We may be led to believe we should develop relationships with, pray to and or worship...angels. This activity is not scriptural and more than likely fueled by Satan.
Revelation 19:10 tells us of an event with an angel "...I fell at his feet to worship him (angel). But he (angel) said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!"
Colossians 1:16 tells us, "For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible." This includes angels. The greatest thing we can learn from the holy angels is their instant, unquestioning obedience to God's commands.
Our focus (relationship, worship, prayer, communication) is with Jesus Christ. Whatever, visible or invisible including angels redirecting our focus from Jesus Christ is more than likely fueled by Satan.
Dennis R. Hixson of Fayetteville is a husband, father, teacher, business leader, author and mentor. Currently Dennis teaches an adult Bible class at Prairie Grove Christian Church and Practical Biblical Application class at the Fayetteville Salvation Army, Drug and Alcohol Recovery Program. Send comments and questions to: [email protected].