My Angel Story
Did you know that although most angel images are female, angels seem to manifest as genderless or male? This is my own story, or at least the beginning of it. Janet K. Smith, Ph.D.
From my Catholic education, I knew the story of St. Augustine, how he heard a child's voice one day saying, "Take up and read. Take up and read." A book was sitting next to him, so he picked it up and read Romans 13:13, admonishing him to change his profligate ways. It helped to convert him to Christianity, turning his life completely around. After reading "the Sermon" I sat in my dorm room and mentally shouted, "St. Augustine, where are you now?" I cried a bit, knowing there's no possible answer to our questions, then fell asleep from grief. I awoke with a dream that seemed for all the world to be an answer from the saint himself, but I scarce dared to hope that it was real. In short, it was an invitation to become a Bible expositor in my future, but at the time it was just incomprehensible and utterly improbable. By finals week, I had dismissed it.
Before the last exam, I found a part time summer job in the cafeteria of the Safeco building in the U. district. A crazy Pentecostal lady who worked there full time turned my life upside down by giving me a copy of The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson. Although I was taking accelerated French during the summer and she had never graduated from High School, I began visiting her on weekends, taking the bus from the U. district to Ballard on Saturday, attending church on Sunday, and heading back Monday morning. In spite of her poverty and her situation as a divorced mother, she had a reputation for evangelism, preaching, and teaching those around her. She was intelligent, dynamic, and able to quote a thousand Bible verses, all in KJV of course. I listened to all the stories about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In spite of my Catholic upbringing, nothing supernatural had ever happened to me...well, except maybe that dream. And, well, there was the crazy urge to quit smoking. Oh, and the day I was rock climbing and got stuck on the wall and started whispering "Jesus" in panic. But at the time, I didn't associate any of that with my new Christian experience.
One Saturday night while visiting Darlene, I was lying in bed asking God how anything so weird and supernatural could ever happen to someone like me. By way of answer, I saw a vision in light just above my head. It was the Scripture "Luke 3:16." I jumped up, turned on the light, grabbed my Bible, and read what it said. "John answered them all, 'I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.'" So, after the Sunday night service, as I actually knelt at the metal chair in the church prayer room, surrounded by some ladies willing to 'pray me through,' I had that promise with me. I did pray in tongues. It didn't feel supernatural or fiery like I hoped it would, but I accepted it by faith.
Darlene and I decided that it would be cool if I moved in with her so she could mentor me. We prayed all summer that my roommate Carol would come back from Olympia, WA and tell me that she wanted to move out or something. I didn't want to leave her holding the bag, having to pay the rent by herself. I didn't want to be selfish. Nothing happened all summer. Carol returned, and I had to face the music. One night I wandered into the living room of our basement apartment. Carol was fast asleep in her bedroom. I got on my knees and prayed a prayer of dedication to God and told him that tomorrow morning I would tell Carol. I prayed that it would be alright and not a bad testimony that would be a stumbling block to her.
In the morning, I broke the news. Carol told me that that in the night she had had a dream. She and I and an angel were standing in the living room. The angel was very tall, wearing a white robe with a rope sash. It had wings. It was talking to Carol in a language she didn't understand, but she knew exactly what was going on. She nodded, then she and the angel shook hands. The angel put his arm around my shoulder and he and I went out the front door. Carol told me later, he was so tall he had to duck. So, when Carol awoke that morning, she knew that I would be leaving, and that she had assented to it the night before.
How do I know that the entity I left with was really an angel and not just a spirit guide? Or a demon, or an alien or Uncle Joe? Why do angels need wings, why wear white robes? I've never interviewed one, so I can only guess, but I suspect they have wings to show they don't fly around in saucer-shaped vehicles that crash. It's an iconic manifestation of an entity made of light similar to the likeness of the Holy Spirit as a white dove. Interesting that we think of both angels and the Holy Spirit in terms of having wings. As for white robes and all, that simply distinguishes them from other spiritual entities. Angels don't have slanty black eyes or bald heads or one-piece space suits. They don't claim to be from another star system. Beyond that, I imagine they just want to look angelic. Angels manifest as tall. Most aliens, especially the grey aliens, manifest as short.
Darlene and I decided that it would be cool if I moved in with her so she could mentor me. We prayed all summer that my roommate Carol would come back from Olympia, WA and tell me that she wanted to move out or something. I didn't want to leave her holding the bag, having to pay the rent by herself. I didn't want to be selfish. Nothing happened all summer. Carol returned, and I had to face the music. One night I wandered into the living room of our basement apartment. Carol was fast asleep in her bedroom. I got on my knees and prayed a prayer of dedication to God and told him that tomorrow morning I would tell Carol. I prayed that it would be alright and not a bad testimony that would be a stumbling block to her.
In the morning, I broke the news. Carol told me that that in the night she had had a dream. She and I and an angel were standing in the living room. The angel was very tall, wearing a white robe with a rope sash. It had wings. It was talking to Carol in a language she didn't understand, but she knew exactly what was going on. She nodded, then she and the angel shook hands. The angel put his arm around my shoulder and he and I went out the front door. Carol told me later, he was so tall he had to duck. So, when Carol awoke that morning, she knew that I would be leaving, and that she had assented to it the night before.
How do I know that the entity I left with was really an angel and not just a spirit guide? Or a demon, or an alien or Uncle Joe? Why do angels need wings, why wear white robes? I've never interviewed one, so I can only guess, but I suspect they have wings to show they don't fly around in saucer-shaped vehicles that crash. It's an iconic manifestation of an entity made of light similar to the likeness of the Holy Spirit as a white dove. Interesting that we think of both angels and the Holy Spirit in terms of having wings. As for white robes and all, that simply distinguishes them from other spiritual entities. Angels don't have slanty black eyes or bald heads or one-piece space suits. They don't claim to be from another star system. Beyond that, I imagine they just want to look angelic. Angels manifest as tall. Most aliens, especially the grey aliens, manifest as short.
The main thing about angels is, they unabashedly acknowledge the God of the Bible and the Son of God, Jesus Christ. They don't allow us to worship them, nor do they suggest that the only divinity in the universe is what humans contrive. Aliens and spirit guides tell their charges that there is no God, no heaven, no hell, no judgment. They say like attracts like, which often turns to sound a bit like hell. There's often no life review unless you're going to reincarnate. Those positive NDEs where people see glimpses of the Happy Place are awash in love, but there is often a comprehensive life review. They return knowing that how they live their life matters. Some see hell first. That gets one's attention.
The day that the angel escorted me out the door in Carol's dream was the beginning of many future adventures with God. And decades later, I did eventually accept St. Augustine's invitation to be a Bible Expositor.
Comments
Post a Comment