“God is real"

Recently after a morning of in-depth study, the words came to me so clearly that “God is real.” It was a comforting message that held meaning and was stronger than and contrary to today’s focus on matter.

It was after one of these weekly study periods that I was walking to work in an older part of town that had tall residential building, large shrubs, and some alleyways. I was running later for work than I wanted to be, but the idea came to me not to rush. I had been relying more on God’s timing and unfoldment. As I continued down the sidewalk, I was gaining on a young woman and two little children, one of whom was in a stroller. The older child was lagging behind, upset with something his Mom or nanny had said, and she was obviously not pleased with his behavior. I was loving them as I overtook them, remembering the challenges of an upset child in public and not passing judgment on the family. I stepped out into the next alleyway before the woman and the stroller, which turned out to be a right-moment-at-the-right-time situation. I heard an engine and turned to see an SUV increasing speed down the alleyway towards our sidewalk. With the large bush at the end of the narrow alleyway, neither the woman with the stroller nor the driver would have seen each other with much time to spare. I was able to raise my hand and signal the SUV driver to slow down, while also signaling to the lady to stop pushing the stroller. Everyone slowed and the lady said “Thank you.”

To me, this experience was evidence of God’s order and timing. I can see the unintended effects of a developing view of God’s presence that resulted in an effortless demonstration of Mrs. Eddy’s prophesy that Christian Scientists will hold “crime in check” (Science and Health p. 87), or unawareness, distraction, and lack of consideration in this case. In reading the 1943 testimonies I’ve been impressed with the wideness of the application of this Science to so many human situations, and its consistent beneficial effect.