Many years ago I had an experience that was a turning point in my life. It taught me about my relation to God. Also, I attribute nearly twenty-four years of blessings to this one day. It's the day I learned about God's angels and how to rely on them for immediate help.

I had prepared an especially good dinner, and after I placed it in the oven I got busy with other tasks. Later, afraid it had burned, I quickly pulled out the hot pot with my bare hands, burning my fingers and palms. I immediately turned toward the refrigerator for ice or butter as a remedy to stop the burning sensation. "No," I thought, "I want to rely on God to heal this. But how?"

Then I remembered something I had learned from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. The book describes angels as "God's thoughts passing to man" (p. 581).

I stood there waiting for God's thoughts to pass to me. Though I had no sign from God, I acknowledged His angels as present and willing to help me. Within moments, the pain left. I looked at my hands, red with a few blisters appearing. Yet I was free of all pain. I felt peace. That was the most intimate moment I had ever shared with God. In a few days my hands were free of any burn marks or blisters.

That giant lesson, understanding that we are always connected to God, is still the basis of my practice of Christian Science healing. Every moment, we have divine Love's help to heal us. We are never, not even for a second, without God's care.

When Jesus stood before a high official for sentencing, he informed the man of God's angels — which Jesus acknowledged were with him at that moment. Jesus said, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matt. 26:53).Acorrection was made in the June 28, 1999 Sentinel: "The article, "God's angels, always with you" (May 24, 1999), mistakenly identifies the context of Matthew 26:53. Jesus was speaking to Simon Peter, not a high official, and this was at the time of Jesus' arrest, not at his sentencing. We apologize for the error." My research revealed that twelve legions is approximately 72,000. Evidently, Jesus knew that he had the power to stop his own execution, but he needed to fulfill the Scriptures in order to prove that life is eternal. His words to the high official revealed his reliance on God and showed the power of God's angels to save him. It led me to believe that we, too, have angels here to help us.

Holy thoughts, or angels, are operating in human consciousness every moment. We are never alone. These thoughts convey divine help and guidance whenever and wherever needed. They bring instruction, inspiration, comfort, peace, and every blessing of God's great love for us. All we have to do is listen and respond. These angels are experts. We are never helpless.

For example, when you turn on the radio, the broadcast is already in process. All you do is listen. It's the same with receiving God's thoughts. When we turn to God and listen, we receive all we need, for as long and as often as we need.

The added benefit of listening for God's thoughts is that we simultaneously experience and feel our connectedness to Him. This is a joy. God was Jesus' source for all his holy thoughts, views, motives, attitudes, understanding, supply, protection, and actions.

Teaching us of God's love in all conditions, Jesus lived his oneness with magnificent power and brought relief to all suffering. He totally trusted these angels.

This hymn describes the activity of angels:

When my daughter was a toddler, I taught her how to listen for God's thoughts. She has been doing this all her life, with great success, even during turbulent times. Through listening to God, our family has overcome challenges with illness, accidents, pain, and emotional traumas, as well as oppressive financial problems. In all these trials we have seen the immense love of God, caring for us all the way through.

Each of us can rely on these angels every moment to guide us, no matter how great the storm we may be facing.