Protected during, and after, a car crash

Last Mother’s Day my wife, daughter, grandchildren, and I were on our way from church to join up with the rest of the family for a meal. We stopped at a traffic light behind two other vehicles—and then, without warning, a truck traveling at highway speed struck our car from behind.

Instantly our car was filled with audible expressions of Truth from the five occupants, all of whom are Christian Scientists. I immediately heard statements like “God is Love,” “There are no accidents,” “Man is not material,” and other familiar statements, many of which were well-loved quotes from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy. We were all safe—the glass shards from the imploding rear window did not harm any of us.

Immediately after the collision with the truck, our car had struck the car ahead, and it in turn struck another vehicle in line. In the process our car collapsed into itself by more than four and a half feet, and was damaged beyond repair.

The “everlasting arms of Love” (John R. Macduff, Christian Science Hymnal, No. 53 ), which had protected us at the moment of impact, continued to cradle and comfort us. All ten individuals in the vehicles involved in the crash were uninjured. Credible witnesses volunteered help on the scene and offered to provide statements. The police arrived quickly and worked efficiently. Soon, we met the two family members who had been waiting for us at the restaurant, and enjoyed this time where we all expressed gratitude for God’s protection.

Later, when well-meaning friends warned that we should expect stiffness or hidden injuries to show up as a result of the crash, my wife and I prayed to realize that “accidents are unknown to God …” (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 424 ). Since God is the only cause, there can be nothing apart from Him, and we couldn’t suffer the effects of an accident, now or ever.

The insurance companies constantly asked about “potential” injuries and delayed injuries. One Wednesday I felt mentally assaulted by a company’s insistence that I make a medical claim to protect myself in case of future needs. That night I attended a Christian Science testimony meeting where the readings referred to the “claims” of error. One statement stood out to me: “Denial of the claims of matter is a great step towards the joys of Spirit, towards human freedom and the final triumph over the body” (Science and Health, p. 242 ). I realized that from the very instant of impact I had claimed God’s control of the whole situation, so why in the world would I now want to claim, acknowledge, or anticipate any material claim of inharmony? Case closed!

I was now without a vehicle and found that neither my insurance company nor that of the truck driver could provide me with one or cover my expenses, at least not for a month or more. As I prayed about supply and the completeness of the healing, several ideas presented themselves. I realized that God’s protection extended beyond the instant of the crash—it is always active, for me and for everyone. As I studied the weekly Christian Science Bible Lesson and prayed that night, I rejoiced with gratitude for all the examples in the Bible in which individuals had their needs met by turning completely to God. In one of my favorite examples, Jesus reminds his disciples of this law of supply when five loaves of bread fed five thousand and seven loaves fed four thousand (see Matthew 16:6–12 ).

I, too, had had experiences in which my own needs were met by turning completely to God in prayer. In her writings, Mrs. Eddy explains this concept: “It is the all-hearing and all-knowing Mind, to whom each need of man is always known and by whom it will be supplied” (Science and Health, p. 7 ). Later in the book, she adds: “ Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need” (p. 494 ). As I continued to pray, I felt secure in the knowledge that my needs had already been met.

Just before I fell asleep that night, a seed of an idea came to my thought—and the next day, I felt divine Mind was guiding me to see this idea fully blossom. That afternoon my wife and I found a replacement vehicle that would meet our needs. But we did not have the funds available for a car payment. God continued to show us the way: I realized we could sell a particular investment bond we owned to cover the cost. That day the stock market was down substantially, but this particular bond was priced significantly higher than when we had purchased it. The amount of cash it provided almost exactly matched the price of the car, and the dealer let us take the car that day.

The insurance company’s financial settlement was available in less than two weeks, not the month that was previously estimated. Those proceeds were used to replace the investment bond just sold, and we found that our supply was not interrupted.

From the outset my wife and I had claimed the protection of Love, and throughout the experience we witnessed protection not only from bodily harm and injury, but also from lack or lost time. And we saw Love expressed in so many ways by so many individuals. My gratitude for the protection and the spiritual growth resulting from this experience is profound.

Thomas Liston
Dickinson, Texas, US