AFTER A DILIGENT SEARCH and much prayer, last September I finally found my home in the Big Apple—New York City. I was elated! It was economical, bright, and well-located, with a fabulous panoramic view of rooftops and buildings facing Central Park. The owner and landlord of the condominium happened to live next door. She's Taiwanese, and when we first met, we hit it off right away. During my initial interview with her, she learned that I was a Christian Science practitioner, or spiritual healer. She told me that she was a Christian and explained how she'd found Christianity, and then asked me what healings I'd had. I told her that I'd worn glasses for nearsightedness since I was fifteen, and that I'd recently passed the vision test without them to renew my license. She seemed deeply impressed.
Jiing, my new landlord, couldn't have been more helpful when I moved in rather quickly. She was very taken by the whole concept of spiritual healing, and she began coming to see me almost immediately. She wanted to pray together and talk about God and Jesus and spiritual healing. She had wonderful questions and we discussed her relationship to God in depth. I gave her some Christian Science literature, and eventually a copy of Science and Health.
One day there was a knock on my door and it was Jiing. She was very excited and asked if I'd please pray for her sister right away. She explained that her sister, who was visiting her, had just had the compact (metal) garbage-chute door slam on her hand, and that the situation seemed quite serious. I immediately went next door and met her sister, Jobie. She was quiet and lovely, and didn't say a lot, except that she'd cleaned the wound. We all sat down, and I told her how happy I was to be there, and to meet and to pray with them. We began talking about God and what He does. I told her how very deeply God loved her, and assured her that divine Mind was right there with her, giving her all the love and reassurance she needed.
I asked her if she knew the Bible, and she said she did. As I recall we talked about some Bible characters, such as Daniel, Joseph, and Jonah, and the protection, rescue, and healing they'd experienced from knowing God. I also explained to her that because she'd actually been about her Father's business—doing what was good by keeping the apartment neat—she absolutely couldn't suffer. This was divine law—and nothing could undermine this vital truth. I told her, too, that there could be no rent or tear in her precious Christly "garment" or covering, her skin. God maintained and sustained her. Then, we all prayed.
The sister, Jobie, started off, filled with gratitude. She thanked God for being at her sister's home; for His great love and care; for being able to pray right then and there; and, for the wonderful good in her life. She was very humble and I was deeply touched. Jiing then took her turn. She started off by thanking God for me, her neighbor, and for the prayer and discussion times we'd had together. She earnestly thanked God for learning about Christian Science, prayer, and spiritual healing. Once again it was a very tender, inspired moment. Next I prayed. I thanked God for His all-powerful, all-intelligent presence and love, and for the joy in being together with these friends. I prayed acknowledging that there could be no accidents in God's kingdom because His all-knowing presence and governance would not allow such. I noted that we could be absent from the body and present with God, as Paul instructs (see II Corinthians 5:8); and that we were going to think about the instruction in Philippians 4:8 to think only of "whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely" and on these things alone. Then we parted, and I told them that I would continue praying.
The next day I saw and talked with Jobie. She was very peaceful and told me that she hadn't looked at the wound since the incident. She seemed contented. Several days later, she left. Recently, I saw her back in New York and asked about her hand. She told me that she had lost all fear during our prayer time together, and that she knew the healing would come. It had, and she actually couldn't remember which hand had been affected! Her hands looked perfect.
Could there be a better gift to share than the pearl of Christian Science?
