No, this isn’t just an idea someone dreamed up to bring us comfort. When a believer dies, the Bible says that God’s angels will surround them, and protect them on their journey to heaven.

For example, in one of His parables, Jesus told about a poor but faithful beggar who, when he died, was carried by the angels into heaven (see Luke 16:22). The Psalmist declared that God “will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11). This should be a great comfort to us, because it assures us that even as we face death, Satan won’t be able to defeat us or snatch our souls out of God’s hands if we belong to Christ.

It’s easy to forget about God’s angels or overlook their ministry; after all, they are spiritual beings, and therefore their work is largely unseen. But God has given them to us, and although we don’t see them, they are still at work under God’s command to help and protect us. The Bible says, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14).

We aren’t to worship the angels; only God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — is worthy of our worship. But let us thank God for them, and let us live each day with the knowledge that because His angels surround us, we can trust our lives and our futures into His hands.