Out of the Fog to Safety

Words fail to express my gratitude for the weekly Christian Science Bible lessons. When I read these lessons each month as a volunteer in two local jails, I love saying, “This is the same lesson-sermon that is read in every Christian Science church around the world.” To me it is so powerful that we are all hearing the very same words. We hear them in different ways of course since God speaks to us in a way we can individually understand. The habit of going to that Bible lesson each day for quiet time with God is powerful and has a healing effect. It prepares me to meet whatever challenges come into my experience.

Some years ago, when our children were 12 and 13, my dad, husband, and the two children took two horses on the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington State planning to spend two nights covering the distance of 21 miles.

It was a beautiful warm Labor Day weekend when Mother and I saw them off on their adventure. However, the next morning the fog was so thick we could not see where the trail started into the woods. This was well before cell phones. There was no way to communicate.

Mother and I read the Bible lesson as we did every morning seekinginspiration to “see beyond this fog”—in other words, to see beyond fear and to know how to help in this situation. (I don’t recall the subject of the lesson for that week, but experience has shown that they are often very timely, addressing current needs and challenges.) Although the fog did not lift, a clear idea came to thought to fill up the camper with gas at the nearest station, which was some miles away. By noon they had not returned to the point where they entered the woods, as we thought they might since the fog was so heavy. Another idea came to go to where they had planned to come off the trail and wait there.

Part of our prayer included singing inspiring hymns from the Christian Science Hymnal. Hymn 304, with words by the Discover and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, reads in part, “Shepherd, show me how to go o’er the hillside steep, how to gather, how to sow,–how to feed Thy sheep; I will listen for Thy voice, lest my footsteps stray; I will follow and rejoice all the rugged way.” Hymn 139 states, “I walk with Love along the way, and O, it is a holy day; no more I suffer cruel fear, I feel God’s presence with me here; the joy that none can take away is mine; I walk with Love today.”

Just at dusk we heard the hooves of the horses and my dad and daughter came out of the mist. Because we were there a day early they could quickly get into the camper and warm up. I took one horse back toward the fog they had come out of to find my husband and son.

Later we heard the story of their last 24 hours. During their lunch that day the horses bolted back toward the way they had come in with all the gear tied to the saddles. My dad and the others ran through the forest and caught the horses before they had gone too far, so they did not lose their transportation, food, and equipment.

They were all mighty pleased we were at the pickup point 24 hours ahead of schedule. I loaded the horses in the trailer and drove the pickup truck home.

Thank you, God for telling us just what to do and when to do it so as to have a harmonious outcome with everyone safe and sound. Thank you, Christian Science Publishing Society for the weekly Bible lessons, which are foundational to my daily study to keep thoughts focused on God and his good creation. As stated in Jeremiah 21:11 (NKJV), “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Merry Ann

Normandy Park