When a crisis threatens ...

Sometimes we have to face a sudden problem that requires an immediate solution, a problem that catches us unprepared, whether because of the emergency it creates or because its nature is foreign to our thoughts or experience. This is what happened to me one summer when I was at the seacoast not far from home.

At lunchtime, on a sweltering day with very strong winds, I saw a swirl of smoke rising in the distance behind a hill. Before we finished our lunch, the fire had drawn near our village. I needed to pray—and fast—but I didn't know where to start because this situation was completely foreign to me!

I yearned to recognize God's angels, which, as I had learned while in Sunday School, are loving, wise thoughts from God to man. As we bring our thought into harmony with the one Mind—that is, as we turn away from fear, anger, or other unspiritual elements and put our trust in God—we always receive the inspiration that brings light. And thus I was led to read Mary Baker Eddy's spiritual insights regarding fire as she gives them in Science and Health: "Fear; remorse; lust; hatred; destruction; affliction purifying and elevating man" (p. 586 ).

I knew that when we pray, it's always important to recognize the spiritual concept, or reality, that is actually present right where a negative situation appears to be. From a human standpoint, fire is a destructive element. Yet, as I considered it metaphysically, I could see that the situation I faced certainly was giving me the opportunity to purify my thoughts! In prayer, I affirmed the presence of God, of purifying Truth, and knew that this spiritual fact would eliminate the destructive element.

The practical value of such prayer is borne out by the Bible's teachings. The book of Daniel speaks of a time when three Hebrew captives were victimized by an unjust law formulated by their enemies. The penalty for worshiping God instead of the king was to be thrown into "a burning fiery furnace" (3:6). Human jealousy and injustice were powerless because the Hebrews were completely faithful to God.

The fire could not destroy the men of God, who had been brought up and nourished under the law of Spirit and who wished to serve God and not matter. Not one hair of their head was singed, and they—as well as the king and his followers—were able to bear witness to God's saving presence.

It is also true that man has dominion over all the natural elements, as the Bible tells us when it shares God's declaration "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" (Gen. 1:26 ). Indeed, this dominion is ours as the sons and daughters of God.

Such thoughts were very helpful to me as I prayed. The fire had now come so close to our village that people had to leave their homes. We had no route of escape by land because the fire had surrounded us. The only possibility was the sea, which was very agitated by the strong wind. My husband and I had a boat anchored beneath the house, and we went down to it, along with as many people as we could fit aboard. In this situation I almost did not have time to pray, but while I attended to my duties, spiritual truths continued to come to me. This helped me to remain very calm in spite of the seriousness of the situation.

I recalled these words: "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20 ). At the time, I could not remember where I had read this sentence, but I knew it to be true. The words are, in fact, those of Christ Jesus.

Even if we know only little of God's law, we can hold firmly to what we do know, and this spiritual knowledge will sustain us. God is All and fills all space with good. This is true whether we are in the skies above or here below on earth. In all circumstances God is omnipotent, and this is indeed adequate to resolve any situation.

Since God is omnipresent, we were all actually in the stillness and peace of His presence, in what the Psalmist calls "the secret place of the most High" (Ps. 91:1 ). I was conscious of God's promise that no evil can come to those who love God (see Ps. 91:10). I knew this would protect not just my own life and home but those of my neighbors as well.

At this point, the hinterland was completely burned, and the beach adjacent to our village was wrapped in fire and a cloud of smoke. The smoke was coming toward the boats next to ours, which kept a wide berth, even though the sea was very rough. In an enormous blaze, the fire enveloped the little ravine next to our homes, burning it completely in the space of a few minutes, and was now approaching our houses.

My husband said, "Let's set sail now, or the smoke will reach us and we'll suffocate." Very serenely I thought, "God, at this point I really want to see what You will do to save the situation, because there is no more time to lose!" I was overcome by great curiosity to know what was about to happen because I did not have a shadow of a doubt that we—and our homes—would all be saved.

At that moment the wind, which had given strength and speed to the fire, abated, and this allowed a group of people to extinguish the first tongues of fire that were entering the village. The situation was now under control; the homes were safe. We were able to disembark and put out the little fires that still burned here and there.

It was late at night, and before falling asleep I thought about God's salvation being permanent and uninterrupted. There could be no return of the flames. At dawn we took pleasure in the joy of peace: the fire had been subdued, and the glory of God had been manifested.