Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

~Hebrews 13:2 NKJV

Have you ever met an angel? 

Psalm 91:11 NKJV says, “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.”

Knowing God sends His angels to guard us, I can’t help but wonder if I have ever encountered an angel, but never recognized him as such.  Have I ever rejected one of the heavenly hosts because they were dressed in tattered clothing, unclean, or their appearance made me uncomfortable?

Luke 24 recounts that after the resurrection, Jesus met Cleopas and another disciple who were traveling on the road to Emmaus.  It wasn’t until they invited Him into their home and Jesus broke bread with them that their eyes were opened, and they realized whom they were entertaining. It was better than an angel; it was Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, whom they encountered.

We miss so much when we rely exclusively upon our physical senses.  Things are not always as they seem.  At this late hour, it is even more important to see the world and one another through God’s eyes.  It’s only through wisdom, discernment, and divine insight that we will be able to navigate the deceptions and temptations of these last days successfully and safely.  I need to see from God’s perspective. How about you? 

Share an encounter you or a friend had with an angelic being or with Jesus Christ.

Father God, I bow before You and ask You to touch my eyes. Remove the warping lenses that lead me to judge based upon appearance (1 Sam 16:7). Lead me by Your Holy Spirit to love the unlovely, the difficult, and those who curse me for Your sake (Luke 6:22).  Teach me to consider others as more important than myself (Phil 2:3), to greet with genuine warmth, to show generous hospitality, and to humbly serve my fellow man as if each one were one of Your heavenly hosts.

Teach me to look beyond the surface to see hearts. Guide my steps with wisdom and give me the courage and willingness to step outside my comfort zones. 

I long for Your counsel and for Christ’s appearing. May it never be said of me that I crossed the street to avoid Your angelic messenger dressed as a beggar or declined a dinner invitation with Jesus in disguise. 

In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2021: Angels Unaware: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly: All Rights Reserved