The Silent Keeper

Yesterday I drove to the park near my house to exercise. "You could have just walked there Dennis if you wanted to exercise!" Well it's quite far to walk cause like there's quite a number of slopes to navigate to get to it. *awkward smile with sweat emoji* Anyway, I got there and as I was warming up, I could feel some rain drops on my arm. So, I hopped back in my car to wait out the rain. It sort of drizzled then stopped, then drizzled again, then stopped, and started again; it was like the weather couldn't decide what it wanted to do. Now while waiting, I saw this guy. Now he's Caucasian, I think younger than me and has a little brother. I'd reckon him to be in his mid to late teens while his brother is about 9-10ish, but let us get back to the older brother. I know his schedule, every Tuesday he will go to the park from 5-6pm to exercise and boy can he exercise. He is way way advanced in terms of what he can do on them bars. 

There was once when I drove by the park in driving rain and I saw him still straining on the pull up bars in the open. From this experience, I knew that the impending rain would not stop him from exercising. Immediately, I whipped out my phone to read up on first aid for lightning strike and shock victims. That way, should anything happen to him, I would know how to help him. Then it started to pour, really pour. I need to remind you dear reader that I live in Malaysia, a nation with a tropical climate with really heavy downpours. Soon I saw his little brother run off in the direction of their home but I did not see him follow. I tried to see if I could catch a view of him, but I couldn't. Thinking that he had sat down on one of the benches in the open, I started my car, made a U-turn and found a parking spot right nest to the park, ready to offer him shelter in my car even though he would be dripping wet. Lo and behold, he was doing crunches. So I let him be. One thing I did however was that everytime there was a flash of lightning, I would check to see if he was alright. In my mind, I was ready to drag him to safety and call the emergency services should anything occur. At one point, he was doing push-ups and a lightning bolt struck nearby. The subsequent loud crash caused him to loose his balance. I was stunned. Was he alright? He caught his breath and went back to his set. Oh, he's ok. I watched him till he finished his workout and left. All the while, he never realised that there was someone watching out for him ready to step in the moment he needed help.

After that, I felt God gently pointed out to me these observations. A lot of times in life, we struggle on our own (exercising), pushing on even in the midst of the storms of life (rain/lightning) and wondering, if not screaming out due to the lack of support and people. Interestingly, we do this all the while oblivious to the fact that there is someone watching over us and ready to step in at the first hint of trouble. That someone is God Himself. How oblivious we are that we are never alone in life's struggles. How many times we do not realise that He is there right next to us. At the same time, that someone could be a friend who truly cares for us. When we think that nobody on earth cares for us or is there for us, we may fail to notice the watchful pair of eyes over us.

Knowing that the maker of the universe watches over me and keeps me is such a comfort. How small am I, and yet, and yet He is here to guide me and keep me safe. Wow, just wow. At the same time, just as God watches out for me, I try to do that for others. I check up on them, I ask people how they are, and stalk their social media accounts, ready to render assistance when they need it. I like to see it as I'm like an eagle ready to swoop in and care for others. Just as I know I have a big eagle up there, with all my capacity as this frail, and small eagle, I will do my best to love and care for others.

Till next time!

Dennis

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7