Last year I was one of the organizers of the UK’s Easter Camp. It’s an annual event run by and for young people interested in Christian Science. The theme for the camp came from the book of Psalms in the Bible: How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. There’s no better promise of safety than that. In fact, I’m learning that we’re always safe.
We had all been encouraged through inspiring talks and activitiesto focus on God as our ever-present source of Father-Mother protection and love. After an action packed 10 days of camp with little rest, I was to drive to Birmingham to be fitted for an usher’s suit to be worn the following day at my friends’ wedding. The evening before I left camp I had a phone call from my nan or grandmother. She wanted to know if I had set out on the road yet. When I told her I was leaving in the morning, she stated in a firm tone, “You can never be separated from the love of God.” She had felt compelled to calland tell me this.
The following morning I set out and was traveling on the motorway North at around 70 mph. But I was aware of feeling drowsy at the wheel. Before I knew it, my vehicle had drifted into the central reservation, and then sped across to the hard shoulder on the other side of the road, crossing three lanes of traffic. Immediately fear and panic for my life took hold of me.
Right in that instant of seeming chaos I heard myself saying out loud, the words “I’m safe, I’m safe, I’m safe.” Having mounted a steep grass verge, the car vaulted into the air. I remember feeling the weightlessness as the vehicle left the road. The car turned over and landed on its bonnet in the field, though to meit felt as though the car was being gently laid down. There was no aggressive or violent movement.
The driver’s door would not open, but I was able to leave by the passenger’s door. As I got out I saw my various possessions scattered on the grass outside. My mum’s guitar was lying a few feet away. Despite having flown out of the vehicle it was completely undamaged.
A driver who had witnessed the whole thing at a distance (there had been no cars in my immediate path) and contacted the emergency services, showed deep concern for me and amazement that I could walk out of this unscratched. However,a feeling of guilt that all this was my fault swept over me. In the midst of confused feelings, I was able to recognize the love of this kind man and all the subsequent emergency services, police, and tow-away servicemen who each played a part in continuing a big lesson for me. That matter and self-destructive guilt have no power over any of us.
The loving messages I’d just heard at Easter Campincluded the gentle Motherhood of God and this reassured me during the rest of the day. I was able to arrive at my destination that evening and was well looked after by my friends. The next day I was performing the duties as usher at my friends’ beautiful wedding. The only reminder of the day before was a small shard of glass I discovered in my shoe. I tipped it out into my hand and discarded it outside the church. There was no after shock or nightmares following the incident and I was able to get back behind the wheel without any sense of trepidation.
Eddy states that “Trials are proofs of God’s care,” and there were some important human lessons to be learned from thisproof of God’s care. This was something of a wake up call that I had been trying to humanly “do it all” yet had “fallen asleep” to my true spiritual identity. The many demands that seem to be placed on us can seem overwhelming. If you are the kind of person who finds it hard to say no to doing things, you should consider whether all your activity leaves you enough time to love and prayerfully protect yourself and your thinking sufficiently.
Mary Baker Eddy demanded that Christian Scientists take the time to pray for themselves daily. If the temptation comes that you are not worthy of your own prayers, think again. The Bible states that we should bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…” As the precious children of God, there is never a moment in which we are outside of God’s Father- Mother Love. But we need to take the time to get tuned in to this fact and know it for ourselves. Whether on the road, at school at work, or at home, we are truly always safe.
Ps 36:7
How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
66:10-11
Trials are proofs of God’s care.
II Cor 10:5 bringing
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
September 5th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
An awesome demonstration of God’s love, many thanks for sharing this Ashley. I love how you’ve brought all these ideas together in this blog.
September 9th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Thanks for your testimony, it sometimes seems we are out of reach from God’s hands but we never are. Instead of that, this experience shows that we NEVER are. “Take the time to get tuned” and to understand, to know that we just CANNOT be apart from Love and Life’s protection.