When Angels Speak began on blog post Dec 5, 2017
You close your eyes and feel James place his hand on your shoulder once again. You allow yourself to become completely wrapped up in the the feeling of peace, love, and joy that are powerfully felt inside you. You loose any sense of time or space and just enjoy this amazing feeling.
"Alright, you can open your eyes again," James states.
You open your eyes to find yourself in the middle of a field. In front of you is a man in his early twenties. His clothes are quite shabby and his face has smudges of dirt on his forehead and left cheek. He is lying on his back and staring up into the night sky. His lips look like they are moving and you realize he is quietly praying. You take a step closer to hear his words.
"God of the universe can you hear the cries of the poor? I am an outcast living alongside fellow strangers. Tonight, like most nights I am hungry. Orphaned since my youth, I have longed for you. I long to know love, and to be part of a family. Inside me, my loneliness grows. I am too ashamed to enter the synagogue. I have nothing to offer you-- except my heart. Could that ever be enough? Could you ever love an outcast like me? .... I wonder about that a lot?"
The man closes his eyes and attempts to pull a very worn blanket around his shoulders. You look at James and ask, "He is obviously very poor. Is he homeless as well?'
James answers, "Many of the shepherds are very poor. At times they appear more lost than the sheep they watch. They occupy of very special part of God's heart. He loves each of them dearly. The emptiness this man feels will soon be a part of his past. In a few months, He will witness a multitude of angels singing and announcing the Messiah's birth. He, alongside others, will be the first to visit baby Jesus. He will also experience the love of the holy family. For the rest of his life he will share this love with others, and he will never again question if God loves him. He will allow this encounter with Jesus to transform his life."
For a moment you and James just stand their staring at the sleeping shepherd. Then James asks, "Do you wonder why God has asked me to share these moments with you?"
You nod your head and say' "Yes."
"You, too, have wondered why God hasn't answered your prayers. You have cried out in pain searching for answers, and you have questioned if God even loves you. God wishes to draw closer to you. Let me tell you that God loves you tremendously. He is always at your side. He wants you to trust in His Plans and in His timing. God wants you to be filled with peace, with love, and with joy. This year as you celebrate the birth of Christ allow yourself to be transformed. The birth of the Christ Child changes everything. God wants you to be filled with the joy of this miracle!
Close your eyes, now, it is time to go back. Although you will no longer see me, know that I am always with you. I will be praying with you and for you. I would love if our mornings included praise along with your coffee." You look at James and smile.
James places his hand on your shoulder. You close your eyes and instantly you are filled with love and peace, except this time you can hear the voices of a thousand angels singing "Glory to God in the highest and peace to those on whom His favor rests!" It was the most beautiful song you have ever heard as you experience the joy of the angels on that most blessed of all nights. You wish this moment could last forever.
You open your eyes again to your own familiar kitchen. You look around hoping to see James, but he is no longer visible to you. You close your eyes trying to remember everything you had just experienced. In your memory you can still hear those angelic voices. You suddenly realize "that moment in time" could last forever, if you let God transform you as He desires. Your smile grows wide as you realize what a wonderful Christmas this will be!
-Susan
