God's Protecting Care
It was a beautiful sunny day. Perfect little
waves drew me to the beach. Many people were enjoying the warm
sand; only a few were in the water. There was no lifeguard in
this private area. I rushed in and enjoyed riding over the
lovely waves for quite awhile. When I tried to stand up, I
realized that I had gone out a long way and couldn't touch the
bottom. I took my strongest stroke back toward shore, but when
I looked up, I was still a long way out and couldn't touch the
bottom. So I tried again a little longer -- still no nearer the
shore and no bottom beneath my feet. I realized I was in a rip
tide. There were still many people on the shore but not one
boat in sight--just blue seas to the horizon. I felt I should
let people know I was out there, so I yelled my loudest, "help,
help". No one seemed to hear me, so I tried again elongating
the L in help. Still no response. It was frightening. I was
so alone, but instantly I thought "God is with me" and mentally
I heard the words of a hymn "Gently o'er me are His wings of
mercy spread." then I heard other words of our hymn
"everlasting arms of love are beneath around, above." I was
comforted and I remembered some ideas in a pamphlet "God's law
of adjustment" by Adam Dickey. It's something like "If you were
in the midst of the ocean with no apparent help at hand,
there is a law of God which when properly appealed to could
bring about a complete adjustment to the problem."
I pondered just what is the law of God to meet
this problem. I thought of what Mrs. Eddy said that Christian
Science is the law of God. Well, I could use that law:
Christian Science. The first prayer I learned began "Father
Mother God loving me." I repeated these five words several
times and felt that God was loving me right there as I floated
in the ocean. Then I felt I should consider the names for God
and apply them to my situation. I was expressing Mind in
intelligent correct actions always, every moment. I felt the
senses of Soul -- awareness of all good, beauty, comfort,
security. I was wholly spiritual -- no material space affected
me -- depth nor distance. I was standing on the rock,
Principle, in God's ordered universe where everything is just
right I felt I was on a spiritual rock not floating in a
material sea. I expressed Life always everywhere in every right
way. Truth was right at hand for me to express -- the Truth of
my expression of life, pure, safe, and harmonious. The uplift
of divine Love was all around me -- everlasting arms of Love.
I was rejoicing in the nearness and greatness of
God. Automatically I tried to stand up. There was only lots
of water beneath me. I looked at the shore but not for help.
People were still going about their business, quite unaware of
me, but that didn't matter. God was with me. So I lay back and
floated, still thinking more about the names of God. I felt a
great peacefulness.
The next time I reached down, my toes touched the
ground briefly. It seemed so very natural and right. But I
couldn't yet stand. So again I floated and prayed. This time I
could stand up between the waves. I took a huge step toward
shore, then pushed forward into the little waves. Soon I was
walking slowly toward shore.
I saw two young people rushing toward me carrying
a huge life preserver. They took me by my arms and helped me.
The young man said that his mother on her porch on the seventh
floor of a nearby condominium had heard my cry for help. She
called her son on his cell phone and also called the local fire
station to send aid -- Love expressing love. All the time
that I had felt alone, tangible help was coming. We waved at
the figure high on the porch above us. She waved back. I never
had been alone out there in any sense. The young folks told me
I had done just the right thing, floating parallel to the shore
and out of the riptide. Mind had directed me all the way.
I sat in my beach chair for some time thanking my
Father-Mother God for His protecting care, which I had felt even
before it became tangible in a way I could see and experience.
I returned home rejoicing all the way.
AVP
Fayetteville, AR
