Angels in the Airport

“For He will command His angels concerning you

To guard you in all your ways.”

Psalm 91:11 (NIV)

Sometimes life lessons come to us in the most unexpected places. I think that the Lord often does that to remind us that His ways are so much higher than our ways. Way too often, I believe I fail to recognize the blessing of the Lord because I was expecting different packaging. This time, however, the blessing was so great – so unexpected – that I couldn’t help but stand in awe of the gift and the Giver.

It was April 25th, 2007 and I was on my way to visit my “sister” in Houston, Texas. My flight had me flying out of Winnipeg and through Denver, Colorado. For reasons that I no longer remember, our departure from Winnipeg was delayed and not just by moments but rather hours. I was travelling alone and I felt it. I was faced with a choice. I could be frustrated that my short visit was being made even shorter or I could choose to remember that God is Sovereign and in control of all things. Praise the Lord, my Savior’s voice could be heard above the noise of my thoughts and peace descended as I settled in to trust Him.

Now peace does not come naturally to me. I can get wrought up over whether or not my house is clean, if the power point slide will display accurately, etc. etc. and yet here in the midst of uncertain circumstances, my instinctive response was to praise God! When my flight finally took off from Winnipeg, it was already inevitable that I would miss my connecting flight from Denver to Houston. I calmly planned to check in with customer service when I landed and continued offering songs of praise, in my heart, to the Lord.

When the doors of the plane opened, it was nearly a stampede of disgruntled passengers streaming to the desk to see how the airline planned to fix their travel plans. It was around 11:00 pm and I must have been about 15th in line. It quickly became evident that all of us would be sleeping in Denver that night. I had the option of taking a cab to a hotel and spending the night there but the prospect of lining that all up and leaving the airport by myself didn’t appeal to me. The airline could get me out of Denver by 8:00 am the next morning and I thought it was a lot of overhead to get only 5 or so hours of sleep in a bed with no luggage. An amazing friend of my friend generously offered to drive nearly an hour each way to come to the airport, take me home with her and then return me the next morning. I was blown away! She had never even met me! What a display of loving as Christ loves but I didn’t take her up on it. Once again, I thought it was so much overhead for such little sleep. I chose to spend the night in the airport.

The Lord had been preparing me all day for this. On the shuttle from Brandon to Winnipeg, He had placed me beside a woman who was grieving the loss of her husband. My own grief from losing my dad was still fresh and I could sympathize with her and encourage her. She recognized me. I had gone to school with one of her daughters and she had known of my dad. The Lord had made me aware of her heavy heart and prompted me to speak with her. He knew. He cared for her. He guided our details and I rejoiced at His providence.

In my journal, that night, I wrote, “…it looks like I’ll spend the night on a bench in the Denver airport – I am 100 % at peace. That is such a testimony of the peace that transcends all understanding. It sure transcends mine. My instinctive response this moment is worship! That fact blows my mind. Would I like to get to Houston tonight? Absolutely! But if not, whatever… where I sleep tonight is such a minor detail. Do what You will. I trust You and know You will accomplish what concerns me! Amen!”

I found a quiet but not out of the way bench and snuggled in. I tucked my purse with my passport and wallet over my shoulder and under my arm and settled in to sleep. The number of people around me was fewer and fewer. Some men worked nearby on the moving sidewalk and I slept. Hymns of thanksgiving floated through my dreams. I’ve only had that sort of overwhelming flood of praise once before. What a gift!

At one point in the night, I resurfaced from my slumber and thought, “Lord, a pillow and a blanket would sure be nice.” I’m not sure how much later I awoke as a kind, old janitor was carefully tucking TWO blankets over me and had TWO pillows for me to rest my head on! Even as I write this, more than a year later, tears flow down my cheeks as I marvel at the Lord’s abundance! He is so good!

The fact that I was able to sleep was such a gift! I had asked the Lord to wake me so that I wouldn’t be late for my flight. He knows how to bless me so well. I woke just as the coffee was beginning to brew at Starbucks! I bought myself a steaming latte – in my favorite flavor – and made my way to my gate. Of course, there was the most awesome sunrise! My favorite display of nature. What a pallet our Creator paints from!

I pulled out my journal. I had to document this adventure with the Lord. “Did I sleep in Your Throne Room, Father?” “Do You have an angel or two working in the Denver Airport?” I guess I’ll have to wait for heaven to have those questions answered. In the meantime, I am reminded that my Gracious Heavenly Father cares for ME. And I can say with absolute assurance that He cares for YOU. May that knowledge affect our choices today and every day.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink;

or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food,

and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air;

they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they?

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?

Matthew 6:25-27 (NIV)