I recently retired from government service, after having worked in the area of national security for 27 years. My study and practice of Christian Science provided an important tool for me to protect myself and others, and to see progress on the issues and in the countries where I was working. Praying about God’s protection is something I’d learned from my parents, Sunday School teachers, and Christian Science practitioners at an early age. I got into a routine of praying to understand my safety when I was young, applying truths I learned about God and man while playing high school and college football, and experienced quick healings of ankle sprains, shoulder injuries, and an Achilles tendon tear. For me it was a natural transition from guarding a quarterback to a professional career where I protected people, facilities, and events important to the security of the United States.
Every day I would begin by studying the Christian Science Bible Lesson and some specific Bible citations. This admonition to the Ephesians provided special insight: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.… Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:11, 12, 16). When we’re conscious of God’s allness and presence, it’s natural for us to feel secure in His love for us, and to know that we’re always safe in His loving care. I found that “putting on the whole armour of God” and having the “shield of faith” in God’s power, protection, and ability to heal us applied just as much to protecting government officials as it did during the activities of my formative years. The demands were more serious and my spiritual understanding more mature, but it was the same Principle that I relied on. God governs all His spiritual ideas, and we can trust that this safety is the ever-present truth in all situations. Having seen the power of prayer in action and the demonstration of quick spiritual healing as a young man, I understood that the same protection was available no matter my location.
The Bible is filled with examples of God’s protection in every sort of circumstance. Elijah, David, Daniel, Christ Jesus, and the apostles all demonstrated protection from dangerous situations. The Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, writes: “The divine Love, which made harmless the poisonous viper, which delivered men from the boiling oil, from the fiery furnace, from the jaws of the lion, can heal the sick in every age and triumph over sin and death” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 243). The prophets’ faith in and love for God, above all else, was especially evident to me in both the Bible and Mrs. Eddy’s writings and led me to conclude that I could expect no less from God, since His care encompasses all. This sense of God’s protection provided me much confidence over the years in some of the riskiest locations.
