Moving Day

AS we passed yet another moving trailer on the highway last Saturday, I was reminded of a moving day I had a few years ago. At first it looked as though there wasn't going to be a move. Instead, though, the day's events made me more certain than ever that God is an ever-present help-even on moving day! Here's what happened. A group of friends was going to help me move across town. They were going to help load cars and unbox at my new home. I had hired a moving company to move the furniture and other heavy items. The boxes had been packed, everything was ready, but the truck was late. Rain was predicted for the late afternoon, and my friends had a meeting they wanted to attend that evening. Any significant delay could make the move completely impossible. Worried, I began to pray. I needed to remind myself that God is, in fact, in charge of His own creation. As a student of Christian Science, I had seen prayer's effectiveness often enough to trust God now. But I wasn't just pleading with God to make things go well. I was understanding God's allness and acknowledging that His laws were in operation at every moment. My plans might be falling apart around me, but God's plan-which is always good-never would. In fact, as Christ Jesus' life shows us, man-and this included me, my friends, and the movers-is the spiritual likeness of God and reflects God by expressing harmony. Even though my copies of the Bible and of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer of Christian Science, were packed away, I did recall a verse from the Bible that helped me to pray more confidently. It's from the book of Acts, and says of God, ''In him we live, and move, and have our being'' (17:28). I reasoned that I moved in the perfect order and harmony of God, who is divine Principle. I didn't need to panic, but could trust the calm assurance that God, divine Love, governed every detail of my life. A passage in Science and Health explains, ''The Scripture declares, 'The Lord He is God [good]; there is none else beside Him.' Even so, harmony is universal, and discord is unreal.'' (p. 414). As I was praying in this way, the truck arrived. I was surprised, however, to see that the two men who accompanied it had obviously been drinking. The truck was, also, smaller than the one I had arranged for, and was too small to take everything in one load. Because the truck had come so late, it was unlikely that we could make two trips that day. But I was more concerned that the movers were not in a safe condition to move heavy objects or to drive. I excused myself and stepped into a back stairway. Once again I affirmed the truths I knew about God. Right where the chaos seemed to be, right there God's law of harmony was governing. In the middle of this predicament, I insisted with strong conviction that all was under the control of intelligent Mind. I refused to believe in a condition unlike God. I didn't know what would happen next, but I knew God's control and law of perfect harmonious movement-the only law there is-was law in this situation, as well. So many times I had seen the power of God lift me out of precarious and pressured situations. Because I was the likeness of God, divine Love, I knew that I could be gracious, not frantic, and that my steps would be properly guided. First, I told the two men that they were released from the job. I paid them a small amount for their travel time and gas, and thanked them for coming. They seemed more relieved than disgruntled. I stepped outside my apartment and looked down the street. One block away there was a very large moving van unloading. I spoke with the men working with that truck. They were just completing their job, and said they would be happy to do my job. They pulled their truck up and loaded my things. Their fee was even slightly less than the first company's would have been. Within a very short time, the move was accomplished, my friends were able to get to their meeting on time, and the raindrops didn't start falling until evening. Even though getting moved promptly is a small thing, that day was proof to me of God's power and complete control. And the strong, clear truths of God that came to me helped me to make a gracious and wonderful transition to my new home.