Angles Among Us
A friend recently sent me an experience she had at the dentist's office and gave permission to share it with you.
"My Dad was raised during the depression, he had his tonsils out in the Doctor's office and did not recall any anesthesia being given. He faced pain stoically and saw it as a necessary part of life. When I was twelve or thirteen, I went to the dentist with my Dad. Daddy had some fillings to be done and it was determined that I needed a permanent tooth pulled.
"At the time of the dental visit he was preaching as an itinerate evangelist. That meant that if he wasn't preaching every night, he did not get paid. Our family was large - seven children, and even with an almost full schedule, money was tight. Daddy knew how to pinch pennies and, on this visit, he decided to forgo the local anesthesia for his fillings. Looking on at my role model, I decided that I too would do without anesthetic. None of us, including the dentist realized the consequences of that decision. The extraction of that permanent molar tooth was difficult. It finally came out and the aftermath left me terrified of going into a dental office. I would start sweating the minute I sat down in the dental chair.
"Today I went to the dentist for extensive dental work. I had prepared myself by taking anti-anxiety medicine, hydroxyzine. My dentist, a Christian who has dedicated her practice and office to the Lord and who goes to our church knows me well. After numbing me up she offered gas which I readily accepted. She turned on the chair massager and put warm blankets on me when I started shivering. No one could have tried harder to help me relax and get through the visit. Still, I was anxious. I closed my eyes and started trying to talk myself down from the anxiety I had. Psalm 91 came to my mind and I started quoting it silently. I didn't get the whole thing perfect but when I got to verse 11, I started to focus on the verse. It kept repeating in my mind..." For He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you in all of thy ways." (KJV) I started to go on to the next verse but again the verse went over again in my mind, after about the third time I realized that God was speaking to me. Suddenly I realized there were angels in the room! There were at least two of them and they were assigned to keep me through this time. I could not see them literally, but I felt them around me, lifting my spirits, comforting me, reassuring me and calming my fears. Tears came to my eyes as I realized that God knew me so personally and cared about me enough to let me know that He had charged His angels to help me through my anxiety. I was humbled and awed. Wow! The great God of heaven cared about the emotional trauma baggage I carried from years and years ago and reassured me that He was walking through this with me.
"After I left the office, I reflected on that up-lifting experience. I love times like this when I know God has spoken to me, that he sees me, that he has my personal interest in His heart. This familiar song "I Am a Friend of God" flowed over my spirit and out of my mouth:
"God Almighty, Lord of Glory You have called me friend."
God, thank You for revealing Yourself to us in just the way we need it.
"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14).
