(Psalm 91:11) For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

The news report comes from Bogota, Colombia. Read and believe.

Two Colombian stowaways say dolphins saved their lives after a ship's crew tossed them overboard into the shark-infested waters of the Caribbean. The crew discovered the men less than a day after sailing from northern Colombia and flipped a coin to decide their fate. Washington Caicedo and Elkin Sandoval, both 22, were picked up by a fishing vessel after swimming and treading water for more than 36 hours. "Dolphins surrounded us as if they were protecting us from the sharks," says Salcedo. God is good.

Believe? Maybe.

Imagine angels rounding up a school of dolphins, guiding them to the men and then keeping them circling for a day-and-a-half until the fishing boat arrived. Busy angels.

Imagine the devil guiding the sailors as they flipped the coin (heads or tails?) controlling the coin and then making sure both men were tossed directly toward the circling sharks. Imagine the demon's frustration when the angelic shepherds arrive with the dolphin herd (just in the nick of time) encircle the men and keep the sharks starving. What did the demons yell out to the angels?

Imagine...

Yes, it is easy to discount such tales as figments of someone's over-heated imagination or as freak accidents of nature. But, they do actually happen. Often, angels actually show up dressed as dolphins and encircle God's children. Psalm 91 is still a living promise in 1999.

No, they do not always come. I wish I knew how they choose when to come and when to stand off and allow the devil's victories. I wish I knew the answer to the "Why?" questions. What I do know is that God is alive and His angels are busy protecting you and me from a thousand troubles. If they choose to use dolphins, that's just fine by me. If, instead, they use parents, friends, fast cars, inner-ear warnings or any other protective devices, that's OK also. If they choose to stand away this time and allow pain, sadness and maybe even death, that's alright with me too. Regardless, I'm trusting that His protection/guarding is underway.

I guess that means the "end" or "result" isn't nearly as important as my "trust." After all, if the demons win a couple here, God still has the angelic shepherds circling the dolphins around my eternal life. There is no way the enemy can eke out a win there. He can mess with me on earth, even win a few with jabs to the body, but he's doomed to failure at touching my long-time safety with God.

—Dick Duerksen
duerksen@bigfoot.com