Confronting the Unexpected With Truth

ONE day I drove toward a parking lot exit leading to the main street. At an intersection, a man on a bicycle came from behind a high, thick hedge and banged right into the side of my car. There he was--sitting on the pavement rubbing his ribs.

I immediately stopped the car and jumped out. But I was also praying as I rushed to help him. I knew that God is Life, and that He cares for His children every moment. Accident or injury is no part of what God creates. I've found through experience how practical such spiritual truth is to bring to light our God-given well-being and harmony. No matter what unexpectedly happens during the day or night, difficulties can be confronted and resolved by turning to God. What God, divine Mind, knows includes all that actually exists--all cause and effect.

Christ Jesus was so confident of the power of God that he said, John's Gospel tells us: ``If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free'' (8:31, 32).

When an unforeseen incident upsets our plans, we are apt to assume that influences beyond our control govern us. But Jesus' words and teachings don't justify such submission. He never consented to evil, because he knew it had no ability to overpower God, good. Instead of panicking or weakly submitting to circumstances, then, we can confront the unexpected by refusing to give up our God-given freedom.

When we realize that God, divine Love, does the ``good works,'' we can see why Jesus wanted everyone to enjoy the benefits that come from honoring God's all-power. What greater gift could he give mankind than to show us that God is omnipotent good! Evil is untrue and unreal. We don't need to believe its lies. Isn't it, in fact, a Christian duty to give Truth priority--even in unexpected emergencies? When we consciously trust God's power, we can effectively confront the unexpected as Jesus did.

For many years I've been learning about God's wonderful nature by studying the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, the Founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. What the Bible has shown me of my spiritual identity as God's beloved idea has enabled me to heal myself and others through prayer.

So in the parking lot that day it was quite natu-ral for me to quiet my own anxiety by turning immediately to God and His love for His creation. The man agreed to put his bicycle in my car, and another driver helped the man into my car so I could take him home. As we drove, the man said that he had been on his way to feed the ducks on a nearby lake. He assured me that he would be all right and would go back to feed the ducks as soon as he repaired the minor damage to his bike.

Jesus immediately countered the unexpected with his certainty of God's presence and power. For example, John's Gospel tells us that when Jesus came to the place where Lazarus was buried he prayed, saying: ``Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always'' (11:41, 42). We too can be thankful for every opportunity to see evidence that God always cares for His creation.

In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy writes: ``Is it not a species of infidelity to believe that so great a work as the Messiah's was done for himself or for God, who needed no help from Jesus' example to preserve the eternal harmony? But mortals did need this help, and Jesus pointed the way for them.'' And she adds: ``Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need. It is not well to imagine that Jesus demonstrated the divine power to heal only for a select number or for a limited period of time, since to all mankind and in every hour, divine Love supplies all good'' (p. 494).

Trusting God shows us that we, too, can handle emergencies with complete assurance. BIBLE VERSE

I know the thoughts

that I think toward you,

saith the Lord,

thoughts of peace,

and not of evil,

to give you an expected end.

Then shall ye call upon me,

and ye shall go

and pray unto me,

and I will hearken unto you.

And ye shall seek me,

and find me,

when ye shall search for me

with all your heart.

And I will be found of you,

saith the Lord:

and I will turn away your captivity.

Jeremiah 29:11-14