Sixty-two years ago, when my mother was hospitalized with leukemia, my dad and I moved in with my brother and his family to be closer to the hospital. We spent as much time as possible with her, but it was a phone call in the middle of the night that woke us. Then my grieving dad broke the news to us that mom had passed away.
Five years ago, I spent a sleepless weekend with my precious wife. She could not get comfortable and asked me to help her change positions every hour or so. When the home nurse came Monday morning she called for an ambulance and I spent hours in the emergency room with her while they pumped fluids into her and prepared her room. Finally, I told her I had to go home and take care of her babies (our two dogs). I took them out and fed them and then collapsed in my chair. I was jolted awake at 1:00 am by someone pounding on my door. It was the police telling me the hospital had been trying to get hold of me. I called them and was told Carol had passed away. The two most important Christian women in my life died in the middle of the night with no loved one by their side, but I know they were not alone.
I recently found comfort in the words of a song.
“She’s close to death, but she is not afraid
Angels waiting for the order, to carry her away
They’re gathered around her bed side
She’s the only one who sees
She will draw her final breath, and away with
them she’ll leave
Angels in the room, she’s run her final race
They come to carry her to heaven there to see
her savior’s face
Angels in the room, to take her to a great
reward
No need for sadness or gloom, there are angels
in the room”
God dispatches angels to bring us important messages; an answer to prayer; or for protection from unseen dangers. The Psalmist writes, “For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.” (Psalms 91:11) Jesus said this about little children, “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 18:10) An angel announced Mary’s conception of Jesus, first to her and then to Joseph. An angel announced His birth to the shepherds. There are countless other examples of angels throughout the Bible, including an archangel immediately dispatched by God in answer to the prayer of Daniel. He was delayed when Satan tried to block him, but finally arrived with the answer to Daniel’s prayer.
I believe there are unseen angels among us today looking after all of God’s children. When I pray each time I stand, “Walk with me, Lord, and help me make it”, for all I know he has assigned an angel to walk beside me to keep me from falling. What I do know for sure is that I have never been alone, even on the darkest days of my life and I will not be alone when I transition from this life to the next.