We had been attempting to help a drunk young man.  We couldn’t get a lot of sense from him but we found he needed to get to Devonport, he’d got money for a taxi and would like help to get one.

Between us we got him to the taxi rank but several drivers declined to take him.  We’d phoned for prayer back-up but were wondering whatever to do with him.  He decided to lurch across the road and we landed up outside the Two Trees.  An older, smartly dressed man turned up from somewhere and started talking to him with great authority.  We wondered whoever he was as people who join in when we are trying to help do not always have good intentions.

However, he discovered the man was in the Navy and the name of his ship.  The older man repeated several times that the SPs were helping him and then said,”You have 2 options. Get in a taxi or be arrested”.  Again we wondered how he could be saying that as he clearly was not a policeman.

We pointed out that the young man wanted a taxi but no one was willing to take him “Oh I’ll get a taxi”, he said and very quickly found a lady driver willing to take him.  When the young man had gone, I asked the older man who he was.  He just smiled and didn’t say much and disappeared in to the pub.  So was he an angel ?

When I shared the story at church, before I said I thought he might be an angel someone called out “That must have been an angel”   It was the way he seemed to appear out of the blue and then disappear as quickly and the authority with which he spoke that made me wonder who had been helping us. Whatever the truth about that it was certainly a quick answer to prayer

Tavi angels?

One of the Tavistock St Pastors told me that the Police there often join them for their breaks and one night as they were leaving base as a team of four, the Policeman asked “Where are the other two?”

They explained to him that they usually patrol in fours only but he insisted “No, I’ve seen six of you on patrol”