Devotion to Angels: how does the Bible speak of Guardian Angels?

It is not wise to think about the reality of the guardian angels without considering who the biblical angels are. The images and descriptions of angels in the media, art and literature often give us a distorted view of these magnificent creatures.

Angels are sometimes depicted as cute, plump and non-threatening cherubs. In many paintings, they look like female creatures in white robes. More and more in art, however, angels are portrayed as strong and masculine warriors.

Many people are crazy about angels. Some even pray to angels for help or to bless, almost like wishing on a star. Collectors in Angel Clubs accumulate "all angel". Some of the New Age teachings conduct angelic seminars to help people communicate with angels for "divine guidance" or to experience "angelic therapy". Unfortunately, angels can serve as an otherworldly goal to appear "spiritual" but not deal directly with the Lord.

Even in some churches, believers misunderstand the purpose of angels and their activity. Are there guardian angels? Yes, but we need to ask some questions. How are angels? Who are they watching and why? Is it protecting everything they do?

Who are these glorious creatures?
In Angeli, the Bone of Paradise, dr. David Jeremiah writes: "Angels are mentioned 108 times in the Old Testament and 165 times in the New Testament." I find that strange heavenly beings are mentioned so many times and yet they are so poorly understood.

Angels are the "messengers" of God, his special creations, called "flames of fire" and sometimes described as fiery stars in the heavens. They were created just before Earth was founded. They were created to do God's orders, to obey His will. Angels are spiritual beings, unbound by gravity or other natural forces. They don't marry or have children. There are various types of angels: cherubs, seraphim and archangels.

How does the Bible describe angels?
Angels are invisible unless God chooses to make them visible. Specific angels have appeared in the history of humanity, because they are immortal, having no aged physical bodies. The angelic host is too numerous to count; and while they are not omnipotent like God, angels excel in strength.

They can exercise their will and, in the past, some angels have chosen to rebel proudly against God and pursue their agenda, later becoming humanity's greatest enemy; countless angels remained faithful and obedient to God, worshiping and serving the saints.

Although angels can be present with us and listen to us, they are not God. They have some limitations. They must never be worshiped or prayed because they are subject to Christ. Randy Alcorn wrote in heaven: "There is no biblical basis for trying to get in touch with angels now." Although angels are apparently intelligent and wise, Alcorn says: “We must ask God, not the angels, for wisdom (James 1: 5). "

However, since angels have been with believers throughout their lives, they have observed and known. They have witnessed many of the blessed and crisis events in our lives. Wouldn't it be wonderful someday to hear their stories about what's going on behind the scenes?

Does each believer have a specific guardian angel?
Now let's get to the heart of this problem. Among other things, angels guard believers, but does every follower of Christ have an assigned angel?

Throughout history, numerous controversies have arisen about individual Christians who have specific guardian angels. Some church fathers, such as Thomas Aquinas, believed in angels assigned from birth. Others, like John Calvin, have rejected this idea.

Matthew 18:10 seems to suggest that the "little ones" - the new believers or disciples with childish confidence - are cared for by "their angels". John Piper explains the verse in this way: "The word" them "certainly implies that these angels have a special personal role to play in relation to the disciples of Jesus. But the plural" angels "can simply mean that all believers have numerous angels assigned to serve them, not just one. "This suggests that any number of angels, who" see the face "of the Father, may report duty when God sees His children need special intervention. Angels are continually in command of God as overseers and guardians.

We see it in the scriptures when angels surrounded Elisha and his servant, when Lazarus was brought to the angels after death, and also when Jesus noticed that he could have called 12 legions of angels - about 72.000 - to help him arrest him.

I remember the first time this image captured my thought. Rather than looking to a "guardian angel" to help me as I had been taught since childhood, I realized that God could gather thousands of angels to help me, if that were His will!

And above all, I felt encouraged to remember that I am always available to God. It is infinitely more powerful than angels.