Call on God
Standing outdoors at a secluded car park, waiting for an airport train to arrive, I jumped about a foot when I heard a very loud “Boo!” and felt a tap on my shoulder. Startled, I whipped around to find two tall young men I didn’t know. They were laughing and eyeing my purse and suitcase ... and then they started circling me and taunting me. I quickly surveyed the area and realized we were the only three people there. My first thought was that I was in danger of being robbed, or perhaps something worse.
But my second thought was much different. As a student of Christian Science, which is based on the Bible, I’d learned that no matter what kind of situation we’re in, we can always call on God for help. It says in Psalms: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear.... God is in the midst of her;... God shall help her, and that right early” (46:1, 2, 5).
I have always used the Bible as my guide for challenging times in life. The Bible’s many stories of deliverance and the practical wisdom of the Word of God that’s conveyed in the Bible have never failed me. The wise words I’ve found most encouraging are “fear not,” which is something Jesus often said to people before he healed them or saved them from their predicaments.
So, a helpful “step one” in any kind of situation is to recognize that we don’t need to be afraid. The basis for this is our oneness with our divine Father-Mother, God, who is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent – that is, all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present. “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” by Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science, defines “God” in part with these adjectives: “the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal” (p. 587).
God knows and maintains each of us as His forever safe, good, spiritual sons and daughters – a great gift that God has bestowed on each of us. The Bible explains that we are created in God’s image, and that everything God created is very good (see Genesis 1:26, 27, 31). No one can be excluded from that blessing. As God’s children, we reflect qualities of goodness, such as honesty, kindness, and so forth.
Even though the young men weren’t exhibiting those qualities at that moment, I knew their true nature to be something quite different. They just weren’t behaving consistently with their real identity as God’s beloved children. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t true!
At that moment, with the young men at the car park, the thought of an ever-present, all-seeing, all-powerful God that is also all-loving was an immediate comfort. And all my fear and imaginings of potential harm left me. I talked to the boys in a normal and respectful manner, and even though their taunting continued, I remember thinking distinctly, “Everything I need is right here, because God is here.”
Suddenly there was a policeman standing right next to me. He asked if I was OK. I said yes. I hadn’t seen him drive up or even walk up, and so I asked, “Where did you come from?” He said it was his day off, but he didn’t have anything else to do, and it came to him to get suited up and come over to this car park. The young men walked away without further ado, and the policeman stayed with me until my train arrived.
Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). We can always discern the truth by asking, What is God telling me about the true nature of His creation? When we realize that everyone is included in God’s blessing described in the first chapter of Genesis, then we’ll experience a fuller freedom from fear and harm.
Some more great ideas! To read or listen to an article in The Christian Science Journal on praying about finances titled “The real investment,” please click through to www.JSH-Online.com. There is no paywall for this content.
