Monday, June 25, 2012

MY PERSONAL SECURITY GUARDS

FROM TODDLER TO TOTTERER--THEY HAVE MY BACK!

I’m certainly not publicly prominent or politically important, but I'm so thankful I have security guards assigned to me!

It’s interesting to watch a television shot of the security guards who are assigned to the president of the United States when he goes out in public, especially in a crowded situation—if you can spot them. They are usually dressed in plain clothes and blend into the crowd, but their eyes behind special dark glasses continually dart back and forth on the alert to spot anything out of order or anyone who might pose a threat to the president's safety. 

   As Christians, we are secure in the care and protection of God's angelic messengers sent to minister to His children, no matter how old His children are. The promise of Scripture is that God sends His angels "to guard me in all my ways" (Psalm 91:11). All my ways includes everything that concerns me, every detail, problem, and decision, every ache or pain or weakness or limitation or suffering I may be going through. As I acknowledge God "in all my ways" I can be certain that He will direct my paths. (Proverbs 3:6) 

Those angelic security guards don't go off duty after they’ve put in their assigned hours since their assignment is open end—24/7. Nor do they take coffee breaks at some heavenly “Star”bucks, take a power nap on a soft cloud, or forsake us in our latter years. When we sleep, they stay awake. We are given to understand in Scripture that a guardian angel is assigned to little children, and there is nothing to indicate that it's not a lifetime job. There is no hint that they leave their assignment when we become old enough to take care of ourselves. We don't know if they grow old along with us, but it is highly unlikely since they were created before man and are not mortal, therefore not subject to space or time.

If we live long enough, the time is likely to come when we are too old to take care of ourselves. We need their services even more as our years increase. As we chronologically advance, we are in greater danger of stumbling, slipping, and falling physically or drifting spiritually or losing our emotional balance by being assaulted by adversity, pain or suffering. We need our security guards from the time we are toddlers to the time when we are totterers. They provide us with lifetime intensive care. What a comfort to know that we are surrounded by such caring, intelligent, supernatural beings sent directly from our Father's loving heart to shield us so intimately! 

Most of the time they are invisible to us. Sometimes they appear as special people God sends to care for us in illness or accident—doctors, nurses, technicians, and Hospice helpers with their knowledge and skills to attend to the needs of our mortal bodies. They also come to us in the form of our loved ones with their tender concern and encouragement. There are providential times when those heavenly beings temporarily take visible human form for some special purpose on our behalf. At the close of our earthly lives, it is thought that God dispatches angelic transport companions assigned to accompany us on our final journey to The Father's House. 

We don’t know how many miles we still have left to travel or how many hills we must climb before those Heavenly Gates open to receive us and our Welcome Celebration begins. "I go to prepare a place for you," said Jesus. The precise day and time we should arrive is filled in on God’s invitation card, but that is kept secret from us in a sealed envelope. We only know that our mortal lives are fragile, that "our times are in His hands," and that His timing is always perfect. 

Doubtless God will give our security guards a “heads up” when that time is approaching so that we don’t have to worry about an R.S.V.P. to God's invitation. We simply need to be living in a state of grace and readiness with oil in our lamps to meet our Bridegroom.

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