Josh's Angel

My wife and I have been married for 48--nearly 49 years. We've been blessed with a good marriage, four wonderful children (two of each kind), ten beautiful grandchildren and a precious great grandson. They are all the joy of our live. The story I want to tell you is a true story about our grandson Joshua, who is 24 years old now. The incident happened when Josh was about two years old--maybe less, I'm not sure. But, it happened when he was at the age where he was just learning to walk.

It was shortly after lunch that day. Our daughter, Theresa, was over and she brought Joshua with her. After lunch, as I most always did, I went upstairs to brush my teeth and shave before I went to work. I worked the second shift at that time. Directly at the top of our staircase there is a window, and setting next to the window at the top of the stairs, we kept a large heavy exhaust fan during the warm weather, which we used when we went to bed. Close by the fan is the door leading into the bathroom. The fan was not running at the time since we used it only during the night. When I went upstairs, I went into the bathroom and shut the door behind me as I always did. I did not realize it at the time, but when I closed the bathroom door, Joshua decided to crawl up the steps to see me. As I said--I had no idea that he was doing this. However, right after I shut the door, I brushed my teeth and was going to start shaving. I don't remember exactly how long, maybe a minute or two--I'm not sure. However, for some reason I just decided to open the door and look out into the hallway. I had no reasons to because I hadn't shaved yet and I never opened the door until I was finished shaving. However, for some reason I felt that I should open the door. I did not hear anything that would prompt me to open the door. There was no reason in my mind. I just felt that for some reason I should open the door--something I had to do. Now, I can't explain that feeling--but it was there.

And so, I did open the door. I opened it just in time to see my little grandson, Joshua, on the next to the last step reaching for the fan to hang on to so that he could pull himself up to come and see his grandpa. As he grabbed hold of the fan, it started to tip towards him. I opened the door just in time to grab Josh with my right arm and the fan with my left arm--just in time to keep Josh from rolling down the steps with the big heavy fan on top of him. Had I been one second later--had I been a half-second later--I shudder to think what would have happened. Josh could no doubt have been crippled or perhaps it could have killed him. But I wasn't too late. I was just in time.

In the years that have past, Josh has grown into a fine young man. And I still often rethink that moment. I try to remember what invoked me to open the door--I still can't explain it. No, I can't explain it--but I am certain that it was either God or one of his angels telling me that I had better get out there. Either way, it was God intervening. There is just no other explanation.

I am well aware that anyone can make up a story such as this. It's easy to do and it sounds good. But let me assure you that if I were to make up a story, it certainly would not be about God and His angels.

"For the Scriptures say, 'He orders his angels to protect and guard you'."   Luke 4:10 NLT

[ by: Frank SanGregory, Copyright © 2003 (fsangregory@woh.rr.com) -- submitted by: Frank SanGregory ]