Tiger’s Eye- Look, See, Pray

Wild tigers have never lived in the British Isles. Large predatory cats were here before the last Ice Age; but nothing quite like the tigers of today. Celebrated in story and song, the tiger is rightly feared and respected. Visiting wild life venues here gives the photographer a chance of looking into a tiger’s eyes and capturing an image, but it cannot compare to attempting a safari in Asia. It is much less risky though- provided you follow the safety rules.

This image was photographed at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire: I was on my own in the car, and was able to pause at the roadside to take pictures. Now, having to twist awkwardly to line up the lens properly was aggravating, to say the least. Would it hurt if I just let the side window down a bit? Hmmm.

Just then the Keeper’s Landrover drove a bit closer to “persuade” the tiger not to disappear in the bushes. And the tiger stalked closer and closer to me instead… and looked directly at me for a moment. Those eyes… By now quite uninterested in my car, and with no bits of me poking out, the tiger lost interest altogether. She stood still, looking across her domain, and I took the nice profile shot above. It doesn’t do justice to her majestic bearing, nor the size of the large teeth (mostly) hidden in her jaws.

I won’t forget the brief moment when the tiger’s eye caught mine. It’s hard to explain- there was a dispassionate assessment done very swiftly. I was obviously no threat, and didn’t seem to measure up for providing food.

Dismissed as of no consequence. That put me in my place! But I was grateful not to have been more interesting, or more tempting.

The whole experience does bring to life the bible stories of David having to fight off wild beasts- and makes me appreciate the relative safety of my everyday existence. No wonder David wrote passionate Psalms of praise to God as Defender and Deliverer. The dangers facing us today are less dramatic, but could easily get worse if the warmongers have their way. One day we may read the Psalms with a greater urgency…

I love you, Lord; you are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my saviour;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.  (Psalm 18:1-3)

Rainbows- Look, See, Pray

I love that delicious moment when we find ourselves at the edge of a passing storm… the sun peeks through, and a rainbow ignites. Arching across the skies, those gorgeous colours offer us hope.

Life will always have storms. But the Lord God gives us rainbows. Do we fear the storm- or celebrate the rainbow?

One encouraging phrase sometimes used during tough times is “This too shall pass.” It’s true enough- I have a 100% record of surviving bad times (so far). But that is small comfort when we have to face the harsh realities of sickness or grief, when we -or those we love- seem caught up in a tornado of trial or terror.

Jesus offered something more reliable: in Matthew 24:35 (NLT) he says:-
“Heaven and earth will disappear,
but my words will never disappear.”

That promise shines like a rainbow against the darkening sky. A technicolour guarantee! Jesus speaks- and gives Life.

Later, in 1 Cor 13 v13, Paul commented that it all boils down to this:

“Faith, Hope, and Love shall remain-
and the greatest of these is Love.”

Not Too Bad, Really- Look, See, Pray

I’m proud of good old-fashioned English understatement… our ability to face both disaster or triumph with equanimity- so, when asked “How are you? How’s things?” the classic response is “Not too bad, really. Things could be worse.”

On a day where the wind blew straight through you and the crackle of ice under foot as the snow froze could be heard, this golden retriever was as happy as Larry. Snow was sent for playtime not for being miserable. Dogs are probably hardier than we are! Every single human being was heading for the cafe or back to the car. But I reckon at least some of those dog owners would have said “Things could be worse” even as the Arctic clouds dropped another load of the white stuff on their heads.

This phlegmatic Britishness is quite admirable in its own way. In times of national crisis we have often faced horrible things with a smile provided there’s still a cup of tea on the table. Is that enough? It’s a pretty “low bar” to say things could be worse.

As people of faith, we surely have a better basis for confidence. Here is a short list!