OUTTAKE: Doctrine of Angels
Doctrine of Angels
And there are also many other things that Jesus did,
which if they were written one by one, I suppose
that even the world itself could not contain
the books that would be written. Amen.
JOHN 21:25 NKJV
Prissie was working on the group project. But her research into the tenants of the Christian faith had taken an interesting turn. Or uninteresting. She wasn���t entirely sure what to do with the information she���d found.
Koji slid into the chair beside hers and remarked, ���You have read much and written little.���
���I���m on a rabbit trail.���
His head slowly tipped to the side. ���You are reading about ��� rabbits?���
���Angels.��� She showed him a paperback she���d borrowed from the church library. ���This distracted me from the other theologies I needed to look up. You guys made it into books.���
���Angelology.��� Koji accepted the book and checked the back cover. ���The theology of angels.���
���I was curious.���
With a vague hum, the young Observer fanned through pages. ���What have you learned?���
Prissie grudgingly admitted, ���Not much. It���s hard to read.���
Koji glanced up. ���Does this record���s vocabulary exceed your understanding?���
They���d run up against this problem before in research, but this wasn���t one of those times. ���No. It���s hard to read because it makes you sound boring. It���s all lists and facts and cross references.���
Slowing down to read, Koji nodded solemnly. ���This is a faithful record of the biblical passages in which angels appear.���
���But ���!���
Again, he gave her is full attention. ���Why have you become frustrated?���
���Because it���s boring,��� she stubbornly repeated. ���And you���re not.���
He closed the book and folded his hands over its cover. ���Can you be more specific?���
���Well, it says you���re bright as a flash of lightning. But they don���t explain that it���s not a cold flicker with a thunderclap chasing it. You���re warm and steady. And there are always songs. This book says that angels in the Bible don���t sing, they only speak!���
Koji���s lips quirked.
Prissie went on. ���And I don���t like that angels are these nameless, faceless generalities. I���d never put Harken and Jedrick and Baird on the same page. Angels are individuals. You���re people with personalities. And you���re each nice in your own way.���
Scooting closer and taking her hand, Koji quietly said, ���What this book says is true.���
���But it doesn���t go far enough.��� Prissie fumbled for the right words to explain her dissatisfaction. ���It skips all the good parts, all the friendly things.���
The young Observer patted her hand comfortingly. ���In the same way, you have shaped my understanding of humanity. If I were to write your account, I am certain my attempt would fall short. You are also more than words.���
Prissie lowered her voice to the tiniest of whispers. ���Is it the same with heaven and ��� with God?���
Koji���s expression shifted between awe and relief. ���You do understand. Indeed, yes.��� Joy sparkled in his eyes, he whispered, ���If everything were written down, the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. And still, these faithful records would fall short.���
���Because God is so much more than words,��� Prissie ventured.
���Amen and amen.���
���������
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