Editor’s note: The following is an example of how study and prayer with the weekly Bible Lesson from the Christian Science Quarterly blessed a family, and those they were in contact with, during the Thomas fire in California in 2017 and 2018. The authors share, week by week, what inspired them and brought healing progress.
It all started one Sunday night, many hours after we had finished our activities at the local branch Church of Christ, Scientist. Late that night our electrical power turned off because of strong winds. And when we saw a fire in the distant hills, we started to pray. A phrase from one of the Bible verses in the Lesson was appropriate: “O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth” (Psalms 65:5).
The flames traveled quickly, and soon the authorities drove through the neighborhood announcing a mandatory evacuation. Before leaving the house, we called a Christian Science practitioner. “Can you help us pray for our neighborhood?” Deborah asked. Listening to this request, S. P. was moved that her call was about praying for the neighborhood, not just themselves.
