Is it OK to ask God to send an angel to help us, or should we ask God to help us directly? Is God offended when we ask him to send an angel?
--Ruby F.
You ask two good questions. The first is, should we pray only to God, or is it also right to pray to his angels? Although Protestants and Catholics agree on most things about angels, they do differ on this question about praying to angels.
Protestant theologians point out that in the entire Bible, no one is ever told to pray to an angel, and there are no instructions on how to pray to one. In Matthew 6, however, Jesus instructs Christians to pray to God and even how to pray to him. Hence, most Protestants do not pray to angels, but only pray directly to God. A key text is 1 Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus..."
Catholic doctrine holds that it is necessary to pray to God, but it is also helpful to pray to saints (not just those who have been canonized by the Church, but any Christian who has died). James Cardinal Gibbons in his book Faith of Our Fathers explained,
We can ask any person in heaven to join us in prayer. This includes our relatives who have gone before us. We do not pray to the saints in the sense that they have any power of their own. We ask them to pray with us to God, just as I can ask you to pray with me to God. ...However, we do not think it is necessary or essential to pray to saints. Our one mediator is Jesus who is the bridge between us and God. He is really the essential conduit.Catholics make the case for why Christians can and should pray to angels. They point out that Jesus himself warned us not to offend small children, because their guardian angels have guaranteed intercessory access to the Father: "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 18:10).
The Catholic Church teaches that angels are deeply concerned with our well-being. God gives them charge over us to be our guardians (Psalm 91:11-12; Daniel 12:1; Matthew 18:10; Acts 12:5-11, 5; Hebrews 1:14); so surely they must pray for their charges! We also have fellowship with them as fellow citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22). We should not and do not worship them as we worship God, but we can still love and talk to them, even as we love and talk to fellow Christians on earth.
They also point out that in the book of Revelation, angels are shown bringing the prayers of God’s people. "[An] angel came and stood at the altar [in heaven] with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God" (Rev. 8:3–4).
Angel of God, my guardian dear, To whom his love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side, To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.Many adults, who believe God has sent a guardian angel to be with them forever, find it helpful in their Christian lives to converse with their angels through the day.
As for your second question (Is God offended when we ask him to send an angel?) the answer is: No! First, it is important to have a correct view of God. People may be easily offended if we ask the wrong question, or don’t use the correct words. But, you can count on God’s love and His understanding of your thoughts and feelings. God is pleased when we pray to him. He is not offended if we ask him to send his angels. Even though Protestants do not pray directly to angels, both Protestants and Catholics thank God for his angels, for their help.
You can use this prayer to talk to God: "Lord, I claim your promise in Psalm 91:11 to send your angels to help in time of need. I need your help. Please send your angels now." Using this prayer, don’t hesitate to ask God to send his angels.
I find the idea of calling upon angels for help confusing. I was brought up Lutheran and was never directed to rely on angels, only the triune God. Why would we need angels if there is God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit?
--Kari A.
The question you seem to be asking is: "If I can pray directly to God, why pray to angels, who are lesser beings?" Actually, there is no need to pray directly to angels. No advantage is gained in praying to an angel versus praying directly to God. God’s holy angels delight to do his will, and will never disobey his commands.
The bigger questions you raise are: Do we need angels? Does God need angels? The answer to both questions is no. God is all-powerful, and he can do everything without help. But, in his great love, God created the angels to help all who believe in him. Hebrews 1:14 says, "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" You do not need to pray to angels, but you also need to be aware that they are a part of the wonderful provision God has prepared for you. Martin Luther wrote, "An angel is a spiritual creature created by God for the service of Christendom and the church." Do not ignore God’s gift of angels; instead, be aware of their presence and thank God for them. Even though you will always find what you need in the triune God, God will also send his angels if you pray to him for help. Just like God, the angels will always be there for you.
