And to which of the angels has He ever said, “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

   - Hebrews 1.13, 14

The King who surpasses every splendid over-king
established dominions wholly subject to His will:
He made them, without bright wantonness,
as the first shape of the firmament.

  - Saltair na Rann, Irish, 9th-10th century

The idea of angels watching over us and caring for us during the course of our lives is a message of grace typically reserved for children. Most of us probably don’t think of ourselves as attended by spiritual beings who are working hard for our good, even when we don’t know it. 

It is true, however, as the Scriptures testify in many places. It pleases God to send His angels – “dominions” – to watch over us, to guard us in the spiritual warfare, and to attend to various of our physical and spiritual needs. Are we always aware of this? Hardly. Are we ever aware of it? Alas, for most of us, probably not.

From time to time we hear extraordinary stories about angelic deliverances of those who found themselves in all but impossible situations, or of missionaries whose lives were threatened because of the Gospel. As true as these stories are, or, at least, may be, they only serve to heighten our sense that angelic attendance is not part of the normal Christian experience. 

But the Scriptures encourage us to believe otherwise. We can’t see the angels that defend, shield, guide, and otherwise help and assist us, but they’re certainly present. It is the Lord’s pleasure to employ these powerful creatures to encourage and assist us who are the heirs of His salvation. They are “ever subject to His will” and His will is that we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, to glorify Him in all our ways. It makes sense that angels would have some kind of hand in this, no?

Perhaps if we took time to thank the Lord for these ministering spirits we might begin to be more sensitive to the ways they care for us each day. That, at least, would be a useful way to expand that practice of things not seen which is essential to healthy faith (Heb. 11.1).

Psalm 91.11-13 (Lauda Anima – “Praise My Soul the King of Heaven”)
He will give His angels charge to bear us up, lest we should fall;
They will guard and carry all who on the Savior’s mercy call.
Cobra, mighty lion, serpent: We shall tread upon them all!

Lord, let the angels, which You created, be productive in all works of bounty on our behalf! Adapted from Colum Cille, Altus Prosator