Only Love's atmosphere
Prayer can bring calm to a storm – and even to political campaigns.
Late one afternoon, my granddaughter and I decided to make a quick trip to the pet store. It was closing shortly, but we had just enough time to drive there and make our purchase. Not far from home, stopped at a red light, I looked up. There in the sky, hovering over the pet store, was a funnel cloud – something I had never seen before, except in photos and on TV. I remembered someone saying earlier in the afternoon that there were tornadoes in the area, and that much damage had been done in several other places.
I reached out to God for an answer as to what to do. Then, I suddenly remembered that we were nearing the day to vote for governor of our state, and that this funnel cloud was directly over the home town of one of the candidates.
The campaign had been filled with political mudslinging, criticisms, accusations, and much condemnation hurled at one another. In fact, it was not unusual to be out in public and to overhear a stranger comment on how confusing it was to know how to vote, or to say there was no good choice of candidate. Neither candidate seemed very desirable.
I began to pray – about both the tornado and the negative political campaign. I realized as I prayed that there could be only one real atmosphere (physical or mental) – the atmosphere of God, divine Love – and that everyone was included in that all-harmonious atmosphere which God had created. Only the action of divine Love could be present and have power.
Criticism, finger-pointing, and condemnation had no place in God’s kingdom. These were only untrue suggestions about man’s nature – man, who is the image and likeness of God, divine Love. There could be no destructive activity of any kind; only the omnipotent, all-acting God was present. God, as Father-Mother Mind, was blessing each and every one of His children, and they were responding to that love, through expressing loving-kindness and moral courage.
I also realized that, because everyone is an idea of God, Mind, no one could feel any fear or anxiety as to for whom they should vote. God was leading each one to make an intelligent decision and the right individual choice for them – everyone was responding to God’s guidance.
I knew that God was in absolute control; the government of all mankind was in His hands. Therefore, malice and destructive tendencies had no power, no place in God’s creation. Even on earth, and in any human situation, divine Love is ever-present, guarding and guiding.
About this time, after I had prayed, I wondered, “Dear Father-Mother God, what should I do?” The thought came to me, “Look up.” When I did, instead of a funnel cloud, I saw only the top flat part of the cloud. It looked like a normal cloud. The twisted cone had vanished.
My granddaughter and I continued on. When we arrived at the pet store, I saw a lot of water puddled on the ground, but the sun was out and it appeared nothing had been damaged. As we checked out at the store counter, the cashier said to me, “Did you see the weather?”
“No,” I replied.
“Well,” he said, “it was incredible. One minute, the winds were howling and threatening, and then it was just gone.”
“Yes,” another person in the store added, “it was miraculous.”
“Well,” I said, “I am certain God is in charge.” They smiled and nodded yes.
But the dearest part of this experience for me came the next day around lunch time. One of the gubernatorial candidates called a press conference. He announced that he had instructed all his campaign workers that no longer would he or his spokespersons respond to the negative accusations and comments of the opposing candidate. Nor would they make any negative comments of their own regarding the other candidate. From then on, he was running on the issues alone, and he would comment on the issues only. And even though the reporters tried to bring up unkind comments or accusations, he stuck to his decision.
We had no more tornadoes – and no more torrents from this candidate.
Mary Baker Eddy wrote in “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures”: “Science shows that material, conflicting mortal opinions and beliefs emit the effects of error at all times, but this atmosphere of mortal mind cannot be destructive to morals and health when it is opposed promptly and persistently by Christian Science. Truth and Love antidote this mental miasma, and thus invigorate and sustain existence” (pp. 273-274).
And Paul said, “In Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). So, our true atmosphere and consciousness is in and of God, the one Mind, not in or of many mortal minds or material forces. When we take a stand for this truth, we realize that because God is All-in-All, we cannot be outside His love, nor can there be any activity other than God’s all-powerful, ever-present Love, which can only and always does bless.
Adapted from The Christian Science Journal.