The old concept of angels—heavenly beings with wings, harp, and halo—has little credibility in the Space Age. Yet the new concept Christian Science presents makes angels not only real but practical. Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, describes "angels" as "God's thoughts passing to man; spiritual intuitions, pure and perfect; the inspiration of goodness, purity, and immortality, counteracting all evil, sensuality, and mortality." ^{Science and Health, p. 581;} Whatever the challenge, dilemma, or decision facing us, we can confidently expect an angel— an inspired answer to our problem.

We certainly have scriptural authority for this promise. Both the Old and New Testaments record many encounters between God's messengers, or thoughts, and men and women. Angels appeared to Abraham, Joshua, Gideon; to Elijah, Daniel, Mary, Peter, Paul, and others. Angels ministered to Christ Jesus after his temptation in the wilderness and were present at the tomb. Whatever the need or the circumstance, Mind's messages get through, for Mind is infinite and omnipresent. We could disconnect every telephone, stop all the mail services, close down every radio and television station, seal all lips and stop all ears—and Spirit would still be heard.

Jacob found that out when he was fleeing from his brother and heading for sanctuary in the home of his uncle, Laban. The account in Genesis relates: "And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it." ^{Gen. 28:11,12;}

Pretense, deceit, a stolen blessing—these were indeed hard facts on which to pillow conscience. Jacob might have expected to toss and turn all night. Instead God's presence was with him in that strange place, to forgive and reassure. "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." ^{v. 15;} When we feel alone, forsaken, unworthy of God's grace, repentant over some deed done or left undone, some word spoken or left unsaid, we can remember what happened to Jacob. All those angels—messages from God—came just when he needed them. We can expect angels to come to us, too.

Some years after this, Jacob was returning home. He could no longer postpone a confrontation with his brother, Esau. What would happen when they met? Would his brother seek a long overdue revenge? Jacob was feeling pangs of recrimination and fear of the future. We've all had that struggle. But because God cares about us, we have a savior, just as Jacob did when he wrestled with the angel. The message we need will always be right there, enabling us to bypass all the surface excuses and to discern the crux of the difficulty, the basic belief confronting us. Jacob's misconception was believing that there was any mortal deceiving or deceived, revenging or revenged. He had to look beyond the mortal to the perfect, unfallen idea of God. The result was regeneration and healing—and a loving reunion with Esau. ^{See 32:24-33:4;}

"That was fine for Jacob," one may say, "but what about me? I don't see any angels coming when I need them." Could a shortage of angels ever develop in infinite Mind? If there seems to be a dearth of divine messages, the fault is not in the transmitting but in the receiving. We need to listen to our friends in order to hear what they have to say, and we need to listen attentively for divine messages. A receptive heart, a listening ear, and prayerful thought aid us in discerning and obeying God's commands. Developing our capacity for expressing qualities such as love, humility, and gratitude helps us to cultivate spiritual receptivity. Then we are not just entertaining "angels unawares," ^{Heb. 13:2;} as the writer of Hebrews put it, but fully conscious of God's messages and ready to heed them. Many of us learn that divine guidance doesn't have to come with a shout, a thunderclap, or a bolt of lightning. It can come to us as it came to Elijah—as "a still small voice"—and yet make itself clearly heard.

One night when my husband was at a meeting, I was putting our small daughter to bed. As I was getting a blanket out of the closet across from the door to an outside balcony, the intuition or thought came to me, "Lock the door." I assumed the balcony door already was locked because this was our normal practice. But without hesitation I turned the key. The very next instant, the doorknob moved. Someone outside was trying to get in. But the door, which had been unlocked moments before, was now securely fastened. I stood there quietly, praying and thanking God for His timely directive. A few minutes later I heard our car pull into the driveway. My husband had returned. Afterward the police found a trail of footprints on the balcony, along the roof, and by the hedge, where the intruder had evidently fled when he heard the car. "Into His haven of Soul there enters no element of earth to cast out angels," writes Mrs. Eddy, "to silence the right intuition which guides you safely home." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 152;}

All the intuition and guidance we ever need is ours—for raising a family, running a business, making decisions, achieving a goal, helping our fellowman. The need, whatever it is, is filled through reliance on our heavenly Father. Like the Israelites we can expect God's presence to accompany us. "Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared." ^{Ex. 23:20;}

God's angels certainly include purifying thoughts that just won't let us do something if it isn't right. "I couldn't bring myself to do it," someone may say. "I changed my mind. I saw it wasn't right." Or, "Something stopped me." These are angels at work! God's thoughts guiding mankind toward purity, holiness, goodness. The clearer one's consciousness is, the more it is filled with good, the more receptive it is to angels.

Infinite Love, which is Mind, is always with us. Whatever the problem, we can expect to be blessed with the exact help we need. Writing of the need to plant our steps on the rock, Christ, Mrs. Eddy promises, "Then will angels administer grace, do thy errands, and be thy dearest allies." ^{The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 129.} Prayerfully, expectantly, joyfully, then—reach for an angel!