Craig Clouston

 Once Upon a Time

September 4

O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.

2 Kings 6:17

“Tell me a bedtime story, Daddy!” squealed Jennifer Rose.

“Okay, but just a short one,” Dale said as he lay his daughter in her bed.

“Let’s see,” he began. “There once was a little girl who had a great big guard-

ian angel. One day, as the little girl walked along a path beside a swift-flowing

creek, she slipped in the mud, falling headlong into the water. Now, the water

was deep and the undertow was strong! The little girl screamed ‘Help! Help!’

as she struggled against the current. She stroked with all her might, pulling

herself closer and closer to the edge of the creek.

Unseen by the little girl, her guardian angel gently pushed her with his

huge hand, nudging her toward safety until finally she reached the bank.

Well, that little girl clawed her way onto dry ground; thankful God had

heard her cry. She raced home and told her mother about her harrowing

experience!

Relieved that her daughter was safe, the mother scolded her for running

off on her own. She warned the little girl to never go near the creek alone!

The little girl said, ‘I’m sorry, Mommy,’ then added, ‘But I’m never alone.

My guardian angel is always with me! He’s the one who saved me!’

Her mother answered, ‘That’s nice, honey. Now go get changed.’ And the

little girl lived happily ever after.

Okay, end of story, time to go to sleep.” He kissed Jennifer on the forehead

and turned out the light.

h

Most bedtime stories are make-believe and fictional, the equivalent of a fairy

tale. But what about today’s story? Do we believe, like the little girl, that angels

are watching over us in the heavenly realm? Are there otherworldly warriors

fending off the enemy as we journey through life? Do we believe, as the Bible

declares, that the air around us is filled with a raging battle?

Or do we, like the world, believe that it’s just a good story in an outdated

book?

We either believe it or we don’t. There is no middle ground. So what do we

believe? Truth or fairy tale?

Prayer

“Reveal the truth to those who doubt in the heavenly realm,

Lord. Like Elisha’s servant, open their eyes. Amen.”