Testimony of Healing

How prayer brought calm at sea

I was in a situation once when I had to face the unpredictability of nature. I had been working in the Arctic as a cook on a seismographic research vessel, and our crew was scheduled to return the ship to the Gulf of Mexico for the winter, which would mean being on the open sea for more than three weeks. It was late September, and there was an awful storm brewing. Although it was against my instincts to jump on a ship for a long ocean trip in that kind of weather, I had no choice.

In order to find some peace, I had to shake the fear and uncertainty I was feeling. A friend of mine who had worked in Alaska once told me that the storms in the open expanse of the North Pacific can create swells of 100 feet at that time of year. We weren't really expecting those conditions, but I was concerned that our top-heavy ship, which had a shallow draft, wasn't built for the sea conditions we might find.

Also, the news media in my hometown always reported heavily on the loss of fishing vessels in that part of Alaska. I knew I needed to counter my fear that our ship was vulnerable, and I was convinced that prayer was my recourse.

I had plenty of time to pray as we waited for a break in the weather to board our ship, which was anchored in Nome. It was reassuring to me that the Bible is full of examples of people saved from potential peril by turning to God. One of the passages that reassured me I couldn't sail away from God's presence and protection was this: "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." (Ps. 139:9, 10)

God was with me, I knew, but what about the uncertainty of the weather conditions? I had to decide whether I was helpless, subject to the unpredictability of nature, or whether God governed me and could help me if I was ever in danger. Deep down I was convinced that it wasn't God's design for His creation to be a victim of nature. My study of Science and Health had given me a strong foundation for this conviction, including this: "When subordinate to the divine Spirit, man cannot be controlled by sin or death . . ." Later comes the prediction that, through spiritual inspiration, "The mariner will have dominion over the atmosphere and the great deep, over the fish of the sea and the fowls of the air." (p. 125) I was inspired by the promise of these statements.

After a three-day wait, the wind calmed down enough for us to take a helicopter out to the ship, but there was no sign that the actual storm was letting up. I had hoped the weather would change, but my prayer had been a recognition that we would be safe in spite of any weather conditions.

There were, however, signs that I was breaking through the anxiety. For instance, I actually enjoyed the helicopter ride. It was like riding in a giant bubble, descending to a target painted on the deck of the ship, which from the sky looked like a tiny toy boat bobbing on the open sea. Once we began sailing, I actually enjoyed watching the action of the large waves against the horizon and the beautiful skies. It was exciting to see the waves breaking over the back deck of the ship, and to know that "the Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea." (Ps. 93:4)

The most beautiful thing about this experience was that we were spared the worst part of the storm. Since the atmospheric charts indicated it was too large to sail around, the ship's officers set our course to enter the eye of the storm. They later shared their surprise that we were able to remain in the eye for days, all the way to Los Angeles. This meant less wind and rain, and slightly better seas. I felt as if we were in the "eye" of God - symbolic of His protection and watchful care.

While refueling in Los Angeles, we heard a report of a major earthquake in Mexico City. I thought about a friend who was living there. My heart went out to all the victims, and I prayed for them. Perhaps the survivors were facing the same feelings of vulnerability to the whims of nature that I had felt - as though there were a power besides God. I could confidently reject this idea because God had proved to be a real presence for me in the storm, directing our crew to the safest places. The people in Mexico City were also, I realized, in the eye of God's guidance and protection. The news also reported a tsunami off the west coast of Mexico, created by the earthquake, which affected fishing grounds and disrupted fishing lanes. I was very grateful for our delay up north, which had kept us away from it.

The last leg of our trip was through the Panama Canal and the Gulf of Mexico to Texas. This was hurricane season, and two tropical storms were developing in the Gulf of Mexico close to our travel route. As it turned out, one storm stayed at a safe distance and the other one followed a few hours behind, chasing us into port in Galveston, Texas.

Throughout our trip God's care and protection were tangible, and this was proof to me that God is always present, calming our fears and keeping us in a safe place --- whatever nature brings.

Isobel Davis,
Seattle, Washington

Reprinted with permission from the Christian Science Sentinel
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