Luke 1:28-33
The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The
Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what
kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be
afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and
give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and
will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the
throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants
forever; his kingdom will never end.”
An angel carried hope to a broken
world.
How do you picture an angel?
In my mind's eye I see
cherub cheeks, ringlets in their hair, and bright eyes. Their tiny barefoot feet
poke out under crisp white gowns. Each one stands erect and they sing the most
beautiful melody. But the angels in the Bible weren't cute little cherubs, they
were pictured as fierce warriors, men dressed in white, some bigger than life.
God created angels
to minister to his people. In the Bible, angels prepared for spiritual combat,
while others delivered divine messages. Either way, they are prepared to battle
for and care for Jesus' followers.
Before Jesus
was born, they led the brigades to prepare the way for the King of Kings. In
the Christmas story these men God sent to earth, visited Joseph, Mary,
Zechariah, and the shepherds. They showed up to spread the good news of hope,
joy, and love.
You see, God
sent the angels with purpose. Our world is broken. God's people need heavenly
beings to fight for us, assist us, and speak to us. God asked his angels to spread
God's words. I've not seen an angel (that I know of) but I believe they dwell
among us. They minister to God's people even as they did in biblical times.
Read the
Christmas story in Matthew and Luke and focus on the angels, find the joy they
shared as hope for our weary world.