One of my favorite winterscapes is a sunrise or sunset scarlet sky in the background with lacy, barren branches in overlay. I snapped this photo yesterday at dusk as we were driving to a couple’s house for dinner. There were slate blue clouds mixed in with the pink, and it was so beautiful.
In the near-center of the top, there is a completely bright salmon colored small vertical cloud. I hope you can see it. Anyway, the more we watched that cloud as we drove the more curious it became.
It began to look almost human or divine, like Jesus Himself was stepping out of the heavens… or a huge angel was watching over the metroplex.
Anyway, it was a sweet reminder that God uses everything He can–signs in the heaven and earth–to show how near He really is and how ever present in the affairs of humankind. He longs to be involved, but it is us fearful or ignorant humans that hold Him at a distance.
I watched a TV program yesterday about angels. I was not surprised at all to discover that 68% of Americans believe in angels. The reason: there are too many unexplanable happenings, most of them good, which can only be attributed to something that is not human.
Several people interviewed gave testimony of how angels intervened in their lives and did miraculous things.
My pastor’s wife has a testimony that a tall man approached her and a friend when they were in Korea. They were in a crowd that was becoming agitated and violent. And there was the real possibility of a stampede. It was the kind of thing that someone could get trampled under foot. But this man appeared out of no where and said, “Follow me.” He led them back to their hotel down side streets and alleys and away from the danger of the crowd. Then he disappeared. My friend knows it was an angel.
As a child my sister saw an angel at the foot of her bed once when she was very ill.
And I have another friend who saw a huge angel standing on the tarmac as her plane landed in another country. She said the angel looked magnificient and strong, like a warrior.
I saw some kind of being in my home once as I passed through the living room, just picking things up. So unexpected, it only lasted a split second; but I knew an angelic being was in the room with me.
A holy hush fell. It honestly fightenend me for a second. I completely understand why the angels who announced the birth of Jesus said, “Fear not, I bring you tidings of good cheer.” Confrontation with angelic beings evokes fear first in man, later comes the awe and sense of holiness.
I can only imagine what it will be like someday to stand before a holy God. And I know if I stood on my own goodness and merit, there would be great fear, great shame, great horror…
Which brings me to this truth about the birth of the Christ child. He came so that one day I could confess my sins and therefore not fear a holy God, rather welcome Him with great joy!
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).
Bonnie Saul Wilks 
Though I have not had the opportunity yet to see an angel, I am awed by their purpose and role they play in the Kingdom. Serving as God’s announcers and warriors, they do God’s work here on earth (and in heaven).
Each night, I pray over our two small daughters that God’s angels would come and stand by their beds as they sleep, serving as centuries over them, assuring my daughters that they are safe in the care of God.
Your painting/drawing of the angelic protector over the small children on a perilous path envokes a truth that is present in our home. I would not be surprised if one day one of our kids tells us matter of factly that an angel was with them last night.
During this season, our home has a manger scene that our kids love to play with – particularly some of the characters. The camel is now missing his nose and his neck has broken two times. The manger and Jesus went missing and were later found 3 days later in an obscure place in the house no one bothered to look when we all went on a search for them. Anyway, the angels in the manger scene do not get played with much. They remain a strong sign of God’s certain and loving hand especially on the day Messiah was born. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for a whole group of heavenly hosts showing up in the middle of the night plus one that actually spoke to the shepherds. If that picture is not enough to give one pause and reflect, how much more when we get to see our Father in heaven and his Son….
On July 22, 2001 an angel, in celestial form, appeared in my room at 2:00 am on the dot. To allay my terror the angel had the shape and height of my wife and when I called to my wife my son answered from another room. Peter speaks of the terror inspired by even fallen angels, how much more those who never fell.