Updated Feb

Updated Jan. 1, 2010

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Marcia Lee Laycock

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"Writing that is grimly real yet deeply hopeful" - Mark Buchanan

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The week after Christmas always seems a bit like the twilight zone to me. The fuss and flurry of Christmas is over but the New Year is still a few days away and everything seems to be on hold. Perhaps that’s why it seems like the perfect time for pondering.

I was straightening up around the Christmas tree this week, and looked up just as the sun dipped. The angel on my windowsill became a silhouette while the three hand-made carollers beside it seemed to glow. I love my angel - I love that he’s extremely tall, which is an accurate depiction according to the Bible. I love his copper wings and long crimson gown. I love the serenity on his face. I also have a particular fondness for my little carollers even though they’re made of Styrofoam and cloth and I usually have to reattach their heads at least once during the season. As I looked at them that day it seemed that the tall one was looking down and protecting the small ones. It made me smile.

As I pondered them that day I thought of all the times I’ve lived so totally in this world without any sense or understanding that there is another realm watching. I do believe in angels. I’ve known people who swear they’ve been visited by them, helped in some way. Perhaps my positioning of my angel beside and slightly behind my carollers was a subconscious nod in that direction. But I don’t think about angels very often.

The Bible tells us that angels are “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). Their appearances in the Bible tell us they refused to be worshiped and always pointed to the One who sent them. I’m quite sure there are many times that angels help us in some way and we remain unaware. Just look at the famous story in the Bible about Elisha and his servant. When the servant despaired because they were surrounded by their enemies, Elisha asked God to show him what was really there and “he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2Kings 6:17).

As I looked at my tall angel and my little carollers that day I wondered about all the angels who watch over us and God’s goodness in providing them. There are times when I wish I could see them, as Elisha’s servant did, but I don’t have to see them to know they are there. God has promised to keep us under his wing, protected. He has promised to guide us with his Spirit. He has promised he will never leave us.

These are fine promises to take with us into the New Year. Whatever 2010 may hold for us, we can know God is with us. His angels are hovering near.

May He bless you all abundantly with all the spiritual riches of His mercy and grace.

The Spur of the Moment won the Award of Merit at Write!Canada and has now gone into second printing.

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Focused Reflections

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a devotional book focusing on special occasions such as Mother's Day, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Endorsed by Janette Oke: "Marcia Laycock writes from the heart about life with its simplicity and complexity. The one truth that gives balance and direction is clearly presented - Faith.

And Mark Buchanan: These devotionals, though any one can be read in minutes, distil a lifetime of wisdom and inspire a day-to-day faithfulness. Marcia writes with simplicity and honesty and brings to the task a richness of insight that makes old truths leap and shine and freshly startle.