Pay Attention!

Submitted by Merry Bruton 

Have you ever found yourself obviously divinely planted in just the right place at just the right time? A moment reveals an assignment that requires timely precision and action to step in and perhaps prevent a looming disaster?

A few days ago I was out walking my dogs and we approached an intersection. I had a 'sense' of something approaching, and I made my dogs sit and stay. Just ahead of me was a college girl talking on her phone. She stepped out into the street without looking. Time seemed to slow down like I was in warp speed, as out of the corner of my eye I spied the SUV heading straight toward her. I grabbed the girl's arm and yanked her clear out of the path of the speeding car.

My adrenaline spiked and I knew I had just be privileged to save her from extreme injury, if not death. I was shaky and wanted to hug this gal because I felt an instant bond with her.

Her response? She kept talking on her phone and kept walking. As if nothing happened. No acknowledgment, no eye contact, no "Thank you." Like having her life saved was not even a tiny blip on the screen of her consciousness.

I was stunned! I didn't need to be thanked, but wow, her ungratefulness and apathy took me by surprise. My first thought was that if she didn't learn to become more aware of her surroundings, she will keep walking in front of cars and eventually experience some sort of hit that could really take her out.

But then it hit me. Spirit said to me, "Merry, you are the same way. You don't see the dangers that are averted away from you every day. And you don't develop gratefulness for all those near-misses. You just keep on going and fail to learn because you are not paying attention."

My response: "Let me see some of them so I can change my outlook and attitude."

Let's just say that tuning in lately has shaken me, as I've personally experienced several narrowly-missed incidents that could have been tragic:

• Things like my garage door somehow left open while we are gone for the entire evening (in a robbery-prone neighborhood) and nothing is disturbed.  

• Falling into a hole on my nightly walk with no injury. (I tripped and fell like a feather)

• 'Almost' landing in a ditch on a bike ride but miraculously didn't, because 'someone or some thing' moved my front tire back on the path

• Pausing at an intersection in my car, then watching a truck run the red light--thus NOT plowing into me

• 'Happening' to be home when a fire erupts. A neighbor sees it and we put it out before our house catches fire

I'm not accident-prone, really!  These are everyday occurrences that I would  normally, quickly dismiss.  

But I have come to believe way more deeply that I'm divinely protected in so many incidents and ways--big and small--that I don't even notice. Or acknowledge. Or become grateful for. I'm realizing more how I am not really in control. But Someone is. And He has got my back. Even when I don't say, 'Thank you."

It all seems to add a little more joy to life, knowing that I can be bold and not walk in fear…or in ignorance either. I can entrust my life to Creator to a greater degree, and that makes my heart more thankful.

And if I learn to focus more intently and step aside more quickly, how many hard hits in life might I actually avoid altogether?

Have you experienced any near-misses lately? What could you learn from those events?