I love the restored doctrine of angels, footnote as it is to the gospel itself. While there may still be many types of intelligent creatures in heaven, it makes sense that angels are spirit children of Heavenly Father as we are--not of a different 'species', just a different circumstance and glory. It makes sense they have a history and future of divine potential; when they celebrate Christ's birth it's because he is their Savior too. The continuity between mortal life and heaven lends logic or resonance to God's angelic assignments--Moses and Elijah translated in order to bestow keys on apostles prior to Christ's resurrection; those like Mormon who continue a work they labored on as mortals. It may be a tender mercy of the Lord as well as an assignment, to allow those intimately connected and concerned, to influence events on earth, when God wills. Imagining spirit siblings yet unborn or remembering our loved ones who've died also reminds us of that continuity, and the possibility to be reunited with them--our true "better angels".
Angels attend to many aspects in the Christmas story, in most cases delivering succinct, personal messages as is typical throughout scripture. Appearing to the shepherds, however, they follow a different pattern--one that brackets the Plan of Salvation from start (Job 38:7) to finish (Revelation chapters 5, 6 and 15). We believe we all joined in the former, and earnestly hope to sing in the latter. Who knows but what we might each have a more direct connection to that heavenly host in Luke 2:14? May we in any case feel a similar emotion this Christmas.
No comments:
Post a Comment