Better Than An Angel

“And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:” (Ge 24:40 AV)

 

What a thing to have an angel of the LORD lead this servant every step of the way.  We know God blessed this servant and the quest of which he vowed turned out exactly how Abraham wished and how God planned.  Even though this quest involved the free will choices of Nabal and Rebekkah, the LORD worked a miracle, and Isaac was blessed with a bride.  When we look at the details of what transpired, we cannot help but see the overwhelming sovereign hand of God in every event.  We often assume the old testament saint had an advantage concerning the obvious presence of God and His work among them.  We see the burning bush, the pillar of fire by night, the ladder ascending to heaven, or the angel who visited a barren wife and wonder what it might have been like to have that obvious appearance of God to help along life’s journey.  We see the angel above, sent to guide the servant, and wonder how easier it might be for us.  The thing is, we have the angel of God with us every moment of every day.  He is called the indwelling Holy Spirit.  We have more than what they had.  We simply are unaware.

I marvel at the LORD’s creation all the time.  Whether it is out in the woods, or watching a nature program.  The things animals do by intuition are the handiwork of God.  No amount of secular science can explain how creatures do by nature what they do.  How did they evolve a complex set of skills to survive?  Only someone obstinate enough to deny the internal knowledge of God in their soul could accept what evolution peddles.  I was watching a production on the oceans and the wonder of how balanced nature is astounded me.  God designed each creature to be a part of the balance of life.  Each performs the necessary function to sustain its own species as well as provide itself as a service or food source for another.  There are so many examples of God’s handiwork that an individual case, for the moment, escapes the mind.  But I can say, throughout this program, there were several examples of complex design that gave purpose and function to a particular species.  They behaved instinctively.  They lived as God programmed them to.  They have, within themselves, something the Creator bestowed that leads them along the path of life He has determined to be.

When we read of Gabriel coming to Mary and wish we could have the same experience, remember, God dwells inside and His visitation is permanent.  When we read of the angel of the LORD coming to Hagar or visiting Gideon, remember the Holy Spirit never comes and goes.  He is always there.  When we read of John’s revelation on the Isle of Patmos, we have those written words and the Spirit to guide us.  We need no unique or special encounter.  When we read of the three children in the furnace of fire and one like unto the Son of God amid them, we have a God that is as central to our being as our very soul.  He is with us no matter the furnace or absence thereof.  The Old Testament is filled with examples of saints who had momentary and temporary encounters with the presence of God.  We have something far better.  And He is just as capable of leading us today as He was in leading Abraham’s servant.