Wow, what a treat to be faced with three unexpected hours of time at home alone, especially since my house had seemed like Grand Central Station for most of the summer. I was thrilled and looked forward to the peace and quiet.

Getting comfortable in the sun room chair, I decided to finish reading that week’s Christian Science Sentinel (July 23 & 30, 2012 issue).

The issue’s focus on community was especially dear to me. I felt that I was pretty good at praying about specific situations in my family, church, and work life, but I embraced the issue’s reminders to broaden my prayers. For example, in Walter Rodgers’s article, “Borderless community,” he tells us that “… the more joy we can sow in our communities, the more happiness we harvest for ourselves and others.”

I knew that reading these wonderful ideas was one thing, but I needed to put them into action. So I prayed to be led as to the “how” of doing more for my community. I thought about this verse from Psalms: “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day” (25:5). And I continued to listen to God for where these ideas would lead. 

A little while later that day, I moved on to some cooking, only to hear a knock at my front door. At first I was disappointed that my coveted alone time was disrupted, but this gave way to a better thought: “Good grief! You were just praying about community. Go and see who is at the door!” When I opened the door a longtime friend greeted me. I hadn’t seen him in years, and I assumed he wanted to see my husband since they used to work together. As it turned out, he’d come specifically to see me.

My friend explained that he had been laid-off from a job that he’d held for 25 years and decided to stop by on his way home from a support group for unemployed workers. He was wondering if I knew of a job opening where I worked. I explained to him that I had doubts but would be glad to help. Normally I’d add this to my calendar and follow up in the near future. But I was nudged to stop my work in the kitchen, pull out my laptop, and immediately write an e-mail to my contact.

God doesn’t lead us part way.

When I opened the laptop, I almost jumped out of my chair when I saw an e-mail announcing that a full-time position had opened up at my workplace. My friend and I looked at each other in disbelief and awe as we read on and learned that he was perfectly qualified for the job. I immediately replied with an e-mail recommending my friend for the position and explaining our awe at the seeming serendipity of the job opening.

After sending the e-mail, I shared with my friend my prayers and what I’d read that morning about community. A few minutes later, I received an e-mail response asking my friend to send in his résumé. Just that morning, my friend had received constructive feedback on how to improve his résumé. Here was yet another instance of what seemed to be just coincidental good timing, but I saw it as really God’s unerring direction and provision. I thought about how there can be no accidental occurrences and remembered Mary Baker Eddy’s explanation that “accidents are unknown to God, or immortal Mind, and we must leave the mortal basis of belief and unite with the one Mind, in order to change the notion of chance to the proper sense of God’s unerring direction and thus bring out harmony” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 424).

My friend went straight home, implemented the suggested changes to his résumé, and sent it in that day. As he went through the interview process, we talked several times. In my own thinking, I kept affirming that God doesn’t lead us part way and that this was an opportunity for me to learn more about patience, trust, and how to help my fellow man.

About three weeks later, my friend got the job and started his first day of work in a position that was a perfect fit for him and his employer. I couldn’t help but think, “… that whatever blesses one blesses all …” (Science and Health, p. 206).

It is worth repeating here the last paragraph of the earlier referenced Sentinel article by Walter Rodgers that puts into words what happened in this situation: “As we explore such opportunities to help pray for and meet the needs of others, we find that they result in untold blessings. The leaven of the eternal Christ—God’s timeless, infinite goodness—is ever at work in human thought. Each of us can be a representative of spiritual joy in our community. And as we share this joy with strangers as well as with neighbors and friends, our communities are transformed.”

Sincere prayer is answered, and is effective. This one experience has opened the door to my being more alert to reaching out to others. We have so many opportunities to bring blessings to our community, and I am grateful that I was nudged to open the borders of my thinking.