Angels on Duty

Jan 14, 2024 | by The Fellowship

Every morning before we eat breakfast, my husband and I do much more than thank God for our food. It is also a time when we lift up family members and friends who have specific needs as well as petitions about our day – and always we ask for safety and protection. It is comforting to envision how our Lord has placed His angels around us to guard us in all our ways. (Psalm 91:11)

I became so aware of those angels protecting me the week before Christmas. Grocery shopping was on my list of things to do that day. Rather than electronically transmitting a list of items I want to purchase and then picking them up at the store, I like to choose my products – especially produce.

From shopping mostly at the same two nearby grocery stores for many years, I am so familiar with their produce departments that I could probably find the items on my list blindfolded. On this particular day, I arrived early in the day at the selected store and there were very few customers about. I was zipping around the produce department and turned a corner -- only to suddenly find myself flat on my face on the floor. What a shock! How fast it happened! One glance revealed that an empty pallet had been left unattended and I tripped over it.

I was immediately aware that my nose was hurting, and my knees were stinging … even though I had on jeans. As I laid there, my next thought was to assess my body for other possible injuries, but nothing major was getting my attention. Because I had my glasses on, there was pain where the nose pieces that held them on my face had gouged into my skin, but thankfully my glasses had not shattered upon impact. Though I was groaning, there were no other customers around at that moment. I began to get up off the floor when a female employee came running over.

“Your nose is bleeding,” she exclaimed. “I will go get some wipes and a bandage.” She looked at the pallet and said, “I have warned them about the danger of not removing those pallets immediately after they are unloaded.”

Very soon she returned and cleaned the blood off my face from the cut on my nose, then applied astringent and a Band-Aid. I said nothing about my knees because they had been protected by my clothing and I just wanted to leave. The employee took down a lot of information.

By now, other people were in the area and sending curious looks our way. Because I did not want the produce man responsible for the pallet to lose his job, especially right at Christmas, I decided the fewer complaints the better and thanked her for helping me. She said the store would be in touch to check on me. Retrieving my cart, I decided to check out and leave because of feeling very tired and realizing I was probably suffering from a bit of shock.

The cashier and sacker looked at me strangely (bandage on nose and some facial swelling), but politely said nothing. I was not far from home and had no problems driving there. The first thing I did at home was examine my knees. They were stinging because skin had been ripped off by the impact, but not bleeding. I applied antibiotic ointment and bandages, realizing that much bruising would undoubtedly present itself. Then I laid down and took a long nap.

That night, I thanked the Lord profusely for all the ways He had protected me when I fell. So obviously kept from very serious harm, as His much loved child I rejoice in being accompanied by angels. It is a love so undeserved but poured out constantly by my Savior and Lord.

An employee of the store called after Christmas to express their concern and to see how I was recovering. I was happy to report things were mending well and no new problems had surfaced. To express their regret, the store is recompensing me.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him.
Psalm 103:11