Courtside prayer

Jeffrey Lewis

One Sunday several months ago, I was having a great time expressing God while playing basketball. I was thinking about reflecting Him as Spirit, through qualities like strength, speed, and joy. My team was playing a good game, and I was running up and down the court just being glad for the chance to play.

Toward the end of the game, one of my teammates stole the ball at one end of the floor. I ran up with him on the fast break and got past my defender. My teammate passed the ball to me. I leaped up to grab the ball, but when I came down I landed on my knee awkwardly. I felt a sharp pain and fell down. I got up almost immediately and forced myself to hop to the bench. My coach and teammates asked me if I was OK, and I told them I just needed to rest for a little bit.

At first, I tried to simply shrug it off and ignore what had happened. I continued to root and cheer for my teammates. However, the pain only grew worse. Soon I realized that simply ignoring it was not the right thing to do.

I looked to prayer, as I’m used to doing as a Christian Scientist. I knew that a picture of injury wasn’t the real story, and that I could be healed. As I sat on the bench and prayed, my thoughts turned to my motives. Playing basketball was a right activity—I’d been enjoying healthy competition, and expressing divine qualities like strength and skill. Was it right, then, that these good motives could be punished? Or that an erroneous picture of injury could ruin my experience? No.

I knew that a picture of injury wasn't the real story, and that I could be healed.

As I continued praying, I saw that error had no power to interrupt my expression of God, nor did it have any power to cause me injury. In Christian Science we learn to not give reality or power to error. Yet at the same time, it is very important not to ignore error in our thinking, but to address it head on. So I affirmed that I couldn’t be taken out of God’s care, and that I continued to reflect Him as the complete expression of Life and Love. The pain disappeared as I prayed.

At the end of the game, I was able to stand up and shake hands with the other team. Because of the prayerful work that I had done, I was also able to walk from the gym to the car without discomfort. And by the next day, my knee was causing me no more pain at all. I walked gently for the next few days, but by the time Sunday rolled around again, I was able to start the game. I played with even more delight, knowing that nothing could interrupt the joy and happiness that I feel from playing basketball.

About the author

Jeff Lewis is a junior in high school. In his free time he enjoys photography, mountain biking, playing ultimate frisbee, singing in choir, and playing the trumpet in his school's jazz band.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Testimony of Healing

Healed through praising God

March 11, 2013

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit