Monday, April 1, 2013

A is for...


How wonderful it must be to speak the language of the angels, with no words for hate and a million words for love! ~Quoted in The Angels' Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994



Let’s talk about angels.

Down through the ages, they have consistently held a place of interest and fascination among human beings. Various versions of them can be found in almost every section of every gift store in America. Angel shapes (from cherubs to seraphim), haloes, wings…they swing from key rings and rearview mirrors. Dusted with jewels and coated with gold, silver, bronze…they hang from women’s necks, perch on their fingers and dangle from their wrists. Angel art is one of the easiest to find, because these creatures make gorgeous (and lucrative!) subjects. Movies and books force them into molds dreamed up by a plethora of writers’ imaginations, all of which further stoke the fire of our hunger to know more about these stunning winged creatures.
 
What is it about them that unfailingly holds our attention and sparks our collective imagination?
 
Certainly, they are thought to be beautiful, and Lucifer was certainly recorded as such. Powerful? Oh, yes. God created angels with the ability to carry out His instructions, no holds barred.
 
And they’re mystical, which also adds to their appeal. We can only imagine them, because few of us have had the honor—the spine-tingling, heart-pounding, glorious, life-changing honor of having actually seen an angel. Yet we choose to believe in them, just as those of us who have experienced His grace choose to believe in God.
 
God. That, in my opinion, is why we little humans are so caught up in the world of angels. Because these glorious creatures see God…dwell with Him…move in His midst, see His light, hear His voice, feel His touch. Angels have such a place of honor in Heaven. Why wouldn’t we be not only fascinated, but even somewhat envious of their relationship with God?
 
Except…it is we humans God created in His own image. We are the chosen “masterpiece” into whom He breathed His own breath of life. You and I. We alone, in all of God’s amazing universe, can experience redemption and salvation. We alone can know the unmatched glory of being our Father’s family. His children. His heirs.
So yes, I write about angels. I hold them in immense respect. A visitation from one of them would be a distinct honor and privilege.
 
But I wouldn’t trade places with the angels. Not in a million years.
 
I cherish my own position as a princess daughter to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
 
So…should you ever read a Delia Latham novel, please know that God provided the inspiration, and I love writing the stories he gives me. I hope you’ll continue to watch movies about angels. Study them, if you choose to do so. If you’re ever granted the privilege of coming into contact—visual or otherwise—with one of these celestial creatures, consider yourself immensely blessed.
 
I’ll be doing those things too. And our interest in angels is OK. They are heavenly beings, and God’s special messengers.
 
But know this. YOU are God’s chosen creation, and as such, hold a place in His heart that is far above the angels. It is YOU who will experience the glory of the rapture, and know the joy of God’s unbounded favor in Heaven.
 
What a glorious experience to see the face of Christ! What a blessing it will be to interact with the angels!
 
But when we sing The Song of the Redeemed, the angels will have to fold their beautiful wings and simply listen. They can’t join in our song.
 
That, my friend, will be a sound of harmony made only by you and me. God’s chosen children.
 
No angel will ever know that kind of immeasurable joy!
 
Revelation 14:3 (KJV)—And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

 

12 comments:

  1. I love angels and appreciate all their work ;) Unfortunately the world tends to portray them in an unflattering or unrealistic light (cupid, for ex.) The heroes in my Descended series are "angelics" - men/angel - with awesome abilities that glorify God. No one would confuse them for fat babies, LOL.

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    1. I hear ya, Dana! As I mentioned, the world forces them into many different molds, largely because they don't understand them, and they long to...

      Thank you for stopping by!

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  2. When I first came to your site to start readingy our post for the letter A in the challenge, my heart stopped a moment when I saw you were doing the letter A on angels, a smile came upon my face. I immediately thought of my little girl now in heaven. Even though I know literally she isn't an angel, I think of her as one watching over all of those who have loved her and her in return. Thank you for this beautiful post today.

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    1. Kristena, I'm glad you dropped by! And I think we all have a tendency to think of our departed loved ones as being in a place where they can watch over us. It's a comforting thought, isn't it? :)

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  3. Lovely post, Delia. There's something about angels . . . I have a collection of Bradford Exchange plates of 'child' angels by Donna Gelsinger. I also have a series of little Raphaelite angels in miniature hearts, also from Bradford Exchange. I have my little hearts hung on the ribbon banner that came with the collection, but I have no idea where to put my plates. My "new" house is almost all windows! Not a whole lot of open wall space. Such a problem to have, huh? But I sure do love the light that comes in on all sides.

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    1. Well, now, Peggy...angels and light go hand in hand, do they not? If you never find a place to hang those plates, enjoy the light! :)

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  5. Beautiful post, Delia. I do believe in heavenly angels and have been guided by one.. And I think oncology nurses are angels, to have the heart and soul to do what they do, both for cancer patience AND their families. Love you, my friend.

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    1. Hello, sweet friend! I completely agree regarding oncology nurses - as well as nurses who deal with terminally ill infants. What a special kind of person it must take to be able to handle those kinds of situations!

      Thank you for visiting, Tanya!

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  6. This is a beautiful blog. I love the new life colors. When I began reading this well written post, I immediately thought, "Delia must have penned this." And so she did. Thanks Delia. I enjoyed your thoughts. I love angels and their abilities to carry out God's assignments. I'm also grateful God gave humans the unique salvation experience, one angels long to know.

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    1. Hello, my friend! We do share an affinity for angels, don't we? :) Thank you for the compliment, but my co-authors in the Heart's Haven collection are amazing writers, as well. You'll be seeing some of their posts during this blog challenge.

      I so appreciate your visit!

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