Angels

Do you ever stop to think about angels?

I've been thinking about this as I've noticed that they pop up in the Bible from time to time. They can be messengers, like when Gabriel visited Mary to tell of her upcoming pregnancy. There are also angels who are warriors like in 2 Kings when Elisha and his servant see a blazing army. These are just a couple of examples that I know of, you may be able to recount more. 

I just wondered this week, if we really know anything about angels. They are not just nice images in paintings, fictional characters, or objects we put upon the Christmas tree. They in fact, are real live beings like you and I. 

Angels have; minds, strength and jobs to do, just like us. Yet they are not like us. They dwell with God, carry out His tasks, battle, send messages and they worship (don't we also do most of those things too?!). Yet angels are holy, set apart beings. They live with God, they are in heavenly places, they get to be in His presence on a regular basis - isn't that incredible?!

I've begun to read 1 Peter, in verse 12 it says how angels long to understand about salvation. They live with God, they abide in the heavenly realm, yet they don't fully understand the amazing unfolding of salvation. It's like it's too incredible even for those who are closest to God to understand. One version that I quite like (NLT) says, 'It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.' Isn't that incredible? Even the Holy, heavenly beings are watching the playing out of salvation. They eagerly watched the life of Jesus and wondered how it'll all work out. I mean, they live with God and yet they don't know His master plan! So, how on Earth are we meant to fully understand it?! 

We live in the good of what Jesus has done, yet when I think about it I don't really understand how it all works out - how will this salvation we partly enjoy now, be fulfilled? What an incredible mystery, an awesome adventure, 'It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen'!