`I will deliver him'

FEAR of accidents, undermining one's confidence, can be very restricting. And if we view the world solely from a fearful standpoint, our safety and well-being might easily be regarded as subject to accident -- as fragile and insecure. We may believe that misfortune can come suddenly and unexpectedly, without apparent cause, or that people can bring harm to themselves and others through carelessness or thoughtlessness. Some people think of themselves as victims of chance. Is there any way that we can be free from such debilitating fear? Yes! We are told time and time again in the Bible that we need not be afraid. We can gain comfort and reassurance from the Bible's many promises of God's protection, if we put our trust in Him. We read in the ninety-first Psalm, for example, of the protection God gives those who trust Him: ``I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.''1

What a wonderful promise; God Himself will deliver us! We see many, many examples in the Bible of God's power to save and deliver His children. In every aspect of his life, Christ Jesus trusted God completely, as when he calmly slept during a storm so severe that ``the waves beat into the ship.'' Even when his disciples woke him, he was undisturbed. With perfect trust in God's power ``he arose,'' the Bible tells us, ``and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.''2

Christian Science teaches people how to follow the Master's example in their own lives. As we understand more of God's divine power, it is natural to trust Him to protect us from accidents. Christian Science helps us to understand God as omnipresent and omnipotent Spirit who only knows man as His perfect spiritual offspring living in harmony with Him. This is more than fine sentiment; it's a practical truth that can have an impact on our everyday experience. And Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, gives us sound reason to trust the practicality of depending on God for our safety. She writes: ``Accidents are unknown to God, or immortal Mind, and we must leave the mortal basis of belief and unite with the one Mind, in order to change the notion of chance to the proper sense of God's unerring direction and thus bring out harmony.''3

Accidents are part of the belief that there are powers and forces that are somehow working in opposition to the power of God. But this is untrue, and the belief can't victimize us when we turn to God in prayer and begin to understand that He is the only power. Our safety lies in being governed by the ``unerring direction'' of the one Mind, God. As we recognize that man is made in God's image -- is totally spiritual -- we are able to stop believing that we can also be mortals who are vulnerable to discordant material conditions. This is not to say that we ignore danger or take unnecessary risks, but when we can see that man -- our true identity -- is spiritual and perfect, we realize that we don't need to be bound by fear. We can live freely, fearlessly, knowing that God protects and saves each one of His children.

In this way we refuse to give power or reality to discord. And our prayer brings God's law of harmony and healing love into operation in our lives. Because we are listening for God's ``unerring direction,'' we have God-given ability to stand up to evil and prove that we are not victims of circumstances but masters.

1Psalms 91:14, 15. 2See Mark 4:35-41. 3Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 424.