Touched by an angel
For background, here's what I know about angels:
They exist.
And I'm not really sure, but I think I may have just met one. It's not out of the realm of impossibility is what I'm saying. And without bending or twisting Scripture, I want to share this story with you.
I'm off today. I need to be, for a plethora of reasons, not the least of which is that I'm freaking exhausted. My life is hard for me and I have the strength of ten grinches plus two. The intended reason for being off tonight fell through, but it could be that I just needed to be off and I'm too stubborn to know when enough is enough, so the circumstances of my day unfolded as such that I am off, albeit not for the initial reason.
I was going to go to work, be an hour late, when things changed and my evening wasn't going to go as planned, but in looking at how the day unfolded, it may be that off is exactly what the original intent was. Even in that, though, God answered a prayer or two for myself. I know how someone feels about me, and even though it didn't work out we're spending any time together this evening, sometimes just knowing and having that affirmation you're on the right path gives you strength when the strength of ten grinches plus two still isn't adequate. God is good to me like that. It's not my strength that gets me through each day; it's His and His alone.
To Him be the glory.
Anyway, I fight with myself a lot. And that inner turmoil about going to work was going on as I stopped for gas and coffee. The ladies at the sev were among the reasons I decided to turn left one light ahead of the freeway onramp. I'd already taken the night off work, but was going to go when they told me I should take the night off. I decided at the light, that maybe there was some other stuff going on, so we'll see. I took a detour, turned around, and was heading back home. Traffic on Wall to turn onto 36th Street was way backed up so I decided to go up Chimes View Drive ( an odd little layout for a street, in Ogden, and stop at the Smith's. I needed a few things. I forgot milk.
Anyway, as usual, someone holding a cardboard sign was there. There's usually someone there but today it was a woman. She had the sign on a string around her neck and was just sitting and waving at all who passed. When I came out of the store, I decided I had a dollar in my wallet and I'd just give it to her.
She came up to the passenger window and it wasn't just that she took my dollar, it was how she did, just a little touch of appreciation and she said "God bless you" to me. As she walked back away from the truck, I called after her "Jesus loves you!"
She looked at me and with this angelic voice and a calm, loving matter-of-factness she replied; "Yes, He does."
She knew it and she meant it. I've never heard someone reply to that statement in that manner. I mean I know Jesus loves me and I love Him, but this lady KNEW. I can't explain that any other way. There was no doubt, that even standing on a sidewalk with a sign around her neck asking strangers for money that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords loved her.
Wow.
Just Wow.
Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
Was this lady an angel? Who knows? I do know that the last bit of cash I had was better off in her hands than my own, and I was touched today because I took the time to tell her the Lord loved her.
They exist.
And I'm not really sure, but I think I may have just met one. It's not out of the realm of impossibility is what I'm saying. And without bending or twisting Scripture, I want to share this story with you.
I'm off today. I need to be, for a plethora of reasons, not the least of which is that I'm freaking exhausted. My life is hard for me and I have the strength of ten grinches plus two. The intended reason for being off tonight fell through, but it could be that I just needed to be off and I'm too stubborn to know when enough is enough, so the circumstances of my day unfolded as such that I am off, albeit not for the initial reason.
I was going to go to work, be an hour late, when things changed and my evening wasn't going to go as planned, but in looking at how the day unfolded, it may be that off is exactly what the original intent was. Even in that, though, God answered a prayer or two for myself. I know how someone feels about me, and even though it didn't work out we're spending any time together this evening, sometimes just knowing and having that affirmation you're on the right path gives you strength when the strength of ten grinches plus two still isn't adequate. God is good to me like that. It's not my strength that gets me through each day; it's His and His alone.
To Him be the glory.
Anyway, I fight with myself a lot. And that inner turmoil about going to work was going on as I stopped for gas and coffee. The ladies at the sev were among the reasons I decided to turn left one light ahead of the freeway onramp. I'd already taken the night off work, but was going to go when they told me I should take the night off. I decided at the light, that maybe there was some other stuff going on, so we'll see. I took a detour, turned around, and was heading back home. Traffic on Wall to turn onto 36th Street was way backed up so I decided to go up Chimes View Drive ( an odd little layout for a street, in Ogden, and stop at the Smith's. I needed a few things. I forgot milk.
Anyway, as usual, someone holding a cardboard sign was there. There's usually someone there but today it was a woman. She had the sign on a string around her neck and was just sitting and waving at all who passed. When I came out of the store, I decided I had a dollar in my wallet and I'd just give it to her.
She came up to the passenger window and it wasn't just that she took my dollar, it was how she did, just a little touch of appreciation and she said "God bless you" to me. As she walked back away from the truck, I called after her "Jesus loves you!"
She looked at me and with this angelic voice and a calm, loving matter-of-factness she replied; "Yes, He does."
She knew it and she meant it. I've never heard someone reply to that statement in that manner. I mean I know Jesus loves me and I love Him, but this lady KNEW. I can't explain that any other way. There was no doubt, that even standing on a sidewalk with a sign around her neck asking strangers for money that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords loved her.
Wow.
Just Wow.
Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
Was this lady an angel? Who knows? I do know that the last bit of cash I had was better off in her hands than my own, and I was touched today because I took the time to tell her the Lord loved her.
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