Clouds And Angels

What do we know about clouds? Meteorologists are trained to read the clouds, but they are not the only ones watching clouds. Many of us watch the clouds too. We see other things besides weather. We notice the familiar shapes; animals, objects, and faces. Among the many forms that clouds can resemble, angels are one of the most magical. Let me share my favourite angel stories.

I was on a long flight one day and lucky enough to score a window seat far enough back in the cabin that I could see the wing of the plane. I was watching the patchwork fields and winding rivers far below out the little oval window. As I lost myself in the ever-changing landscape, a sudden flash of white caught my eye on the wing. At first, I thought it must be a trick of the light, a wisp of cloud drifting close. The form became clearer, its outlines deliberate; can’t be a cloud! It looked almost like what I would imagine an angel looked like; white graceful and transient, poised delicately on the wingtip as though guiding us on our way. The cloud-like form remained for seconds luminous against the sky. I looked away and blinked my eyes in case I was imagining things! No, it was still there. I looked around at my fellow travellers to see if anyone else was transfixed by this vision, but they were engrossed in their screens, their books and their pillows. No one that I could see was looking at this incredible object. When I looked again, the shape was gone, replaced by various clouds. I could have dismissed it as imagination, but a quiet peace had settled over me like a warm blanket. I grinned and folded my arms; this may have been a fleeting gift given only to me.

Another time I was on a tour of the Athabasca Icefields and the bus stopped out in the middle of the icefield. The tour guide instructed us to stay inside the marked boundaries. The gigantic sheets of ancient ice stretched before us. Each breath hung heavy and cold. Mountains skirted the scene seemingly rising out of the ancient ice. A misty cloud was hanging between the glaciers and it extended several feet in the air. I was standing alone, wanting to take a picture to capture this breathtaking moment, and suddenly, the cloud began to rise, a gentle veil drifting between the towering glaciers. It thinned out and looked misty taking a shape, appearing as an angel wearing a cloak, I thought, (or perhaps the Holy Spirit itself), ascending gracefully from the ice. Its presence was both gentle and powerful. The shape rose upward, luminous and fleeting. Was it blessing the land below or the people watching? As it drifted higher, the cloud parted, unveiling the weathered dark/blue face of a mountain: a silent guardian that had witnessed countless winters and thaws. At that moment I felt very small but connected to something greater than myself. The Rockies, in all their majesty, had offered me a glimpse of the sacred.

I love the stories about God’s angels I’ve read in the bible too. In Revelation 10:1 a mighty angel is described as coming down from heaven “wrapped in a cloud” with a rainbow over his head. Additionally, during the Exodus, God’s presence, often interpreted as a divine messenger or angel, was manifest in a pillar of cloud that guided and protected the Israelites. (Exodus 13:21)

I know that whether we are on solid ground or soaring above it, we are never truly alone. I’ve had a few close calls in my life but never once questioned who saved me. I believe we have our own personal angels assigned by God to accompany, defend and protect us through this life. Psalm 91:11. We need all the help we can get!