Over the Easter weekend, I wandered down to the town centre one morning to join some friends out praying for people.  It was a glorious, warm and sunny day, a rare April treat! 

I only had an hour before needing to leave for a meeting.  But there were several people we engaged with and prayed for.  Some dealing with difficult family situations, needing hope and encouragement.  Others needing freedom from health issues of different kinds.  At one point, I was praying on my own for someone whilst others had gone to another part of the town.  Once I’d finished, I went over to say my goodbyes at the nearby prayer “basecamp”, where a friend directed my attention to the table on which lay a beautiful, big bouquet of flowers (see picture above) in pretty cellophane wrapping.  

“These are for you” my friend exclaimed.  “Ha ha, yes sure!” I retorted, assuming he was joking with me.

“No, really – they are for you!” he insisted, and, frowning in sceptical puzzlement, I listened to my friend’s explanation:

While I had been praying, a gentleman of uncertain age and unknown to my friend had approached with the bouquet of flowers and requested that they be given to the lady standing over there – pointing specifically at me!  The man then left, with no further explanation, and was not seen again!  I hadn’t prayed for any gentlemen that morning and the description my friend gave of “bouquet man” left me none the wiser!  I had been oblivious to this whole thing happening and could not figure out who might be the mystery bouquet giver….until it dawned on me that this may have been a Heavenly delivery angel walking among us!  A bouquet sent from Heaven, delivered by an angel.

To say that I felt overwhelmed is an understatement!  This bouquet event was so unexpected, so random, so mysterious.  But how wonderfully I felt the Father’s love through it. Even the colours and types of flowers and foliage in the bouquet had special meaning to me that no-one else but Father God could know.  

The following day I was due to speak at an event – a Resurrection message I had been preparing with Holy Spirit for many weeks and which felt significant.  Angels featured quite a bit in that message! Through this bouquet, I felt like Father was saying – “before you speak a single word, even if you don’t ever speak a word, you are My daughter who I love and cherish. I delight in you, I am proud of you right now, not because of anything you will do, but simply because you are My darling girl.” 

Do you need to hear the Heavenly Father say that to you today? (Doesn’t matter if you’re a girl or boy!)  He gladly gives you bouquets of His love and favour, without you having to earn or deserve them through ‘doing’?  Would you receive a bouquet of His grace today?  Just for you?  Look carefully at the flowers He has chosen for you (allow yourself to imagine them if you aren’t looking at real ones) …what do they say about His knowledge of you and how much He loves you?  

Will you take encouragement from my story that Father God is well able to orchestrate things in the most timely way to bring you His messengers, His gifts, His love-notes?.  I only had one hour in town that day and He lined up everything perfectly to make sure I received that bouquet, just before I needed to leave. 

And remember – we entertain angels unawares! (Hebrews 13 v 2)  They are in our midst, His divine messengers - and couriers - sent to serve us as we walk out our salvation journey.