When things seem as if they couldn't get any darker—when fear, doubt and opposition seem rampant, even overpowering—how comforting and encouraging it can be to turn to some of the Bible passages assuring us of God's loving, cherishing care for His children, for each one of us. Who of us has not been comforted by the Psalmist's reassurance that we can find safety "under the shadow of the Almighty," that God's truth is our "shield and buckler" (see Ps. 91)?
Most of us have rejoiced in instances where God's protecting power in our own and others' lives has been not only wonderfully evident but inexplicable in purely human terms. The testimonies at the weekly Wednesday evening meetings held in Christian Science churches worldwide are full of such inspiring accounts.
In the light of such experiences, it's understandable that church members frequently speak of one aspect of prayer as "protective work." As Christian Scientists, we know what is meant by this; but, surprisingly, nowhere in any of the published writings of Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, does she use that specific phrase. She does, however, in the Manual of The Mother Church, under "Alertness to Duty," require of the members of her church that each "defend himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion...."See Man., Art. VIII, Sect. 6.
