The Guardian Angel and The Home Intruder

Are Guardian Angels a myth we tell children to comfort them, or do they actually exist? In Matthew 18:10, Jesus says: “Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.” (NRSV)

I’m an extremely light sleeper; always have been. One night I was awakened by some faint noises in our home. I sat up listening. I expected the sounds to be those of one of our two young daughters, but they weren’t. Someone else was in the house!

My heart began to race as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. I sat there, on the edge, listening more intently to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Yes! Someone was in the house. I leaned over to gently wake up my deep sleeping wife.

“Shhh,” I motioned with one finger pressed to my lips. “I think someone’s here.”

“Should you call 911?” she asked in a wide-eyed whisper.

“Not yet. I need to be certain.”

I quietly stepped barefooted across the bedroom carpet, through the doorway, and stopped still. I leaned my head to peer one eye down the dimly illumined hallway. There he was, standing toward me, but his face was turned to his right. I froze for a moment, but then six years of hand-to-hand combat training encouraged me to step into the middle of the hall. My position was a visible challenge.

If he charged toward me, I could take him down. If he ran away from me, I could chase him down. I’ve trained for this moment. I’ve got this. No one is harming my family tonight! My racing heart was calmed by the familiarity of this pre-fight standoff. Prepared for the inevitable, I studied him for strategic weaknesses.

He stood in the one spot where a person could see into each of our daughters’ bedrooms without moving. He intently turned his head right to peer into one room, and then left to peer into the other – his head turned without a glance at me.

The intruder was of medium height and of medium build with straight, dark, ear length hair. He had no bag with which to carry away stolen items and, fortunately, he had no weapon. He wore a suit without a tie. He looked like a tough, no nonsense, CIA agent on a purposeful mission of immense importance. His poise and stature were formidable. Perhaps I wouldn’t win this fight.

After looking in on our daughters, he turned his head face-front toward me for the first time.

Okay. This is when it starts.

But his eyes focused through me, beyond me, as if to see my wife. I was neither a concern, nor a threat to him.

He seemed to relax for a moment, as though satisfied that all was well, then he . . . disappeared. He vanished from sight – gone.

I ran back to the bedroom and dialed 911. “Hi, I want to report an intruder,” I said hurriedly.

“Is the intruder in your house at this moment?” she asked.

“I think he left, let me check.” I ran through the rooms of our small house, but saw no one. I checked all the windows and doors. They were locked and unbroken. There was no sign of anyone having broken in or gotten in.

I picked up the phone, unsure of what to tell her next. “No, the intruder is gone,” I said as matter-of-factly as possible.

“Is anyone hurt?” she queried.

“No, everyone is okay,” I answered, starting to wonder what I had witnessed.

“Is there any damage?” she asked.

Embarrassed, I said, “No, everything seems okay.”

She paused for a brief moment and asked, “Do you have any pets?”

“No. No pets.”

“No intruder. No injuries. No damage. No pets. Right now there is nothing we can do. Immediately call 911 if he shows up again,” she instructed.

“Okay,” I said, thankful for her businesslike handling of the call, and hung up.

“Honey, what just happened?” my wife asked.

“Umm, well, there was a guy standing in the hallway. He looked like he was checking on you and the girls. Actually, he looked like a CIA agent, only tougher, more commanding, and far more authoritative. He didn’t care about me, just the girls and you. Then he disappeared.”

“What?”

“Yah, I know. It’s crazy,” I said. “I think . . . I think it was an angel. I’ve never seen anyone be so intent before. I’ve never seen anyone exhibit so much concern for someone else’s welfare before. I’ve never been so ignored before. Then he was gone. There is no evidence of forced entry or of anyone being in the house. How is that possible?” I asked.

“I think God sent an angel to check on us,” I continued, “and He wanted us to know He was doing it. It’s the only explanation that fits the circumstances,” I concluded. “Angels don’t have to show themselves.”

“So, we do have Guardian Angels!” she said.

“I guess we do. Well, you girls do anyway. He didn’t seem to care about me,” I joked.

“The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him.” Psalm 34:7

“And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19

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Dr. Rob Oberto is the award-winning author of “Intimacy With God”available from Amazon.

©2016, 2017 Rob Oberto, All Rights Reserved.