Let Your Holy Angel Be With Me
Dear family of God,
Well, it's that time of year again. Last Friday, September 22, was the first day of fall. Its official name is the 'autumnal equinox.' It's one of only two days a year when the sun is directly over the equator, equally dividing daylight and night. (The next one will be March 19, also known as the 'vernal equinox' or the first day of spring.) That means that for the past week the days are getting shorter, the nights are growing longer. Perhaps you've noticed this.
Ancient Christians noticed this, too. As the darkness grew, they were reminded of St. Paul's words: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12). The physical darkness reminds us of the more terrifying spiritual darkness that is always lurking around us. The devil and his evil angels fill the world and have their sights set on the children of God. More than any other physical evil, they are our greatest struggle in this world.
To remember how God promises to combat those dark spiritual forces in the world, for more than nine centuries, near the end of September, Christians have celebrated The Festival of St. Michael and All Angels. Though we have demonic enemies, enemies which we cannot see, attacking us day after day, God sends out His own angelic army to fight for us. Though the darkness increases, it will never overcome the light. No matter how dark this world becomes, the sun will always rise until Christ returns to claim us forever.
Following the footsteps of our Christians predecessors, we will also observe this ancient festival on Sunday. We don't do this because we worship angels, that would be idolatry. Rather, we celebrate this festival as an opportunity to give thanks to our God for His gracious gift in commanding His angels to guard and protect us (see Psalm 91).
One of the historic emphases of this festival is to focus on the comfort God specifically provides for our children. While we know that God's angels are created and commanded to preserve all Christians, Jesus highlights the intimate connection God creates between angels and children when He says: "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 18:10).
Our children have their own angels (so do you)! Add that to the extremely long list of how God shows love to our kids: He assigns them their very own angels. I love this passage and I would encourage you read it, share it, and remember it often.
This is so much better than the cliché "Grandma is watching over you" line we often say. Just let grandma enjoy being in heaven; don't put her to work. No, God assigns angelic warriors, armed with flaming swords and arrows, equipped with booming voices that make building foundations and mountains shake. Angels, who every time they appear to people in Scripture, must say, "Don't be afraid!" God assigns those kinds of creatures to watch over your kids every single second of every single day.
One way we highlight and reinforce God's love for our children each Sunday is when we invite parents, grandparents, godparents and guardians to bring them up front for a blessing during Communion. These blessings are not trite. They are not empty platitudes used to quiet noisy kids. These are the blessings of baptism. These are the promises of their God. These are the daily assignments given to their angels to guard and keep and comfort and protect the greatest in the kingdom of God.
Our children are really God's children, adopted by water and the Word and made heirs of eternal life. One of the many ways God fights to keep them His children is through the blessing of His angels. It's a wonderful opportunity to rejoice in these angelic gifts and comfort one another as we continue to live out our lives in the midst of such darkness. The sun will rise tomorrow friends, just as surely as the Son is risen from the dead.
We will also conclude the service by praying Martin Luther's Morning Prayer which concludes with this great line: "let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." I think this is something we probably don't pray for very often: "God, send your angels to fight with me and for me against Satan and his temptations." But this is what God promises to do and so it's something we should absolutely pray for regularly.
In Christ,
Pastor Bater