The Face of an Angel~

I have lots of things on my mind today. Nothing huge but lots of little things. It's election day and the schools are closed so this morning I got up and had the breakfast table, coffee and my bible to myself. It is nice to start the day focused on Gods word and to have a quiet minute to pray before getting to work and being pulled in 1000 directions. I have been in the book of Acts the last few weeks - its a long book but one that is packed with lots of invaluable information. In Acts 6 - the Apostles are preaching to the people and taking Gods word to the streets. Their numbers growing everyday and people being healed and saved everywhere they went.

Acts 6: 7-15
7The Word of God prospered. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased dramatically. Not least, a great many priests submitted themselves to the faith.
8-10Stephen, brimming with God's grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them. But then some men from the meeting place whose membership was made up of freed slaves, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and some others from Cilicia and Asia, went up against him trying to argue him down. But they were no match for his wisdom and spirit when he spoke.
11So in secret they bribed men to lie: "We heard him cursing Moses and God."
12-14That stirred up the people, the religious leaders, and religion scholars. They grabbed Stephen and took him before the High Council. They put forward their bribed witnesses to testify: "This man talks nonstop against this Holy Place and God's Law. We even heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth would tear this place down and throw out all the customs Moses gave us."
15As all those who sat on the High Council looked at Stephen, they found they couldn't take their eyes off him—his face was like the face of an angel!

These passages really spoke to me this morning because Stephan was taking the message to the people and really putting his faith behind his actions. Even as many folks tried to come against him and lie about what he was doing - He was filled with the Holy Spirit and he had a glow about him that everyone could see. Do you know someone who has this glow? Just something about this person that sets them apart in ways that others don't have? Maybe a peace about them or some other aspect?
Last week the gentleman in the bed next to Walt passed away just before Kyle and I got there to visit with Walt. Mr. Brown was just a shell of the man he used to be but his family loved and cared for him regardless. His wife of 62 years, Mrs. Brown, was there when Kyle and I walked in and you could tell that something had happened. We did not know at that moment that Mr. Brown had just passed away. I told her I was glad to see her because I wanted to pray for her and Mr. Brown but I had not seen them in 4-5 days. She hugged me and told me Mr. Brown had just passed away. Kyle reached out his hand and grabbed hers and said to her, "Don't be sad Mrs. Brown, you will see him again because he is in heaven". Her eyes lite up, the tears stopped flowing and a giant smile came across her face. She said, "That is so true - Mr. Brown served the Lord for so many faithful years" - "He is finally home". I told Mrs. Brown to look up when she was feeling down and told her we would be praying for her and her family.

Stephens face in the passage above reminded me of Mrs. Brown this morning. She may not be an angel but her face showed that she was filled with the Lord and it was so clear and so bright.

Another teachable moment that would have been missed if we are not tuned in to what God is showing us and teaching us. I pray that He reveals himself to you today in a new and exciting way~ Even if you have not felt His presense in many years or ever at all. Today could be the start of something new and something different.

Randy~