Don’t get me wrong. I am still in awe of the unexplainable “angel compartment” in the driver’s area of my otherwise smashed in, rolled over minivan from 23 years ago. I can count like others many times when fate didn’t seem to be an adequate description of the protection I seemingly received as I violated a natural law.
But where were the angels when Brian was run off the road and into the traffic pole. Or when Darrel and Donna’s car swerved into the path of a pickup truck. Or when millions of other scenarios played out where even the simplest of “pinky finger angel interventions” would have turned a tragedy into a church testimony.
Where?
People love to jump in with the “God’s will” explanation. But that’s not accurate and, I would suggest, insulting to God. God NEVER willed pain and suffering on this world. Mankind chose it. It is ALWAYS God’s will to pour out goodness on his children. Without condition.
So WHERE are His angels? They clearly CAN act. They clearly HAVE acted. Why are they so often absent in times of need?
Meeting the expectation of a human can’t be easy for an angel. First, you have to strap on some costume wings that resemble feathered wings of birds. It's a merging-of-mythology-with-religion thing that humans have come to not just accept but expect. Next, you have to perpetuate the “emotional security blanket” comfort humans derive from “having a personal guardian angel” to protect each person, in spite of no validation for that in scripture. You also have to watch in frustration as human’s reap the rewards of bad decisions and violations of natural law. In spite of how much you wanted to circumvent their choices and help, they are angry at your failure to rescue their folly. They want their angel-food cake and to eat it too.
Not intervening must make angels angry too.
Can you imagine having the ability to prevent pain, suffering, and heartache, and not being able to act on it? Can you imagine watching a plane crash, cars collide, bombs hit homes, guns fire into crowds, buildings collapse, and not doing a thing when you can do everything? That has to be far more angering than the anger I feel when I needed an angel for me or a friend.
To those angels who have stepped in to spare me, my family and friends, I truly have heartfelt thanks. For those who are heartbroken alongside me for angel-free outcomes, I thank you too.
Forgive my anger. It's not really directed at you.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.