"Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about the word ‘haven’.
Dictionary definitions include these phrases:
‘a place of safety or refuge’
‘a retreat, shelter, asylum, an oasis, a sanctum’
‘a safe place in times of trouble’
These phrases describe physical places where a haven can be found and we probably all have somewhere we might call ‘our haven’ be it the garden or a particular place but we can also find a spiritual ‘haven’ too….a quiet, mental place where we can retreat and commune with God, our Father, Mother.
This word and its meanings have continually come into my thoughts. A couple of weeks ago, I had been working to a deadline and woke during the night with a bad headache. When I got up in the morning the headache was much worse and I felt nauseous and dizzy. The temptation was to stay in bed but the sentence from Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy, the Founder of Christian came into my thought:
‘Rise in the conscious strength of the spirit of Truth to overthrow the plea of mortal mind, alias matter, arrayed against the supremacy of Spirit. (p.390:32-2)
I recognised this situation, as indeed, an erroneous plea trying to stop me doing what I needed to do and I recognized that I not only to physically ‘rise’ but also mentally rise above the challenging symptoms too. I quietly acknowledged that as a spiritual reflection of God, I was always in the sanctum of Love, safe and secure and able to meet this deadline without any sense of tension or stress. During the morning the headache gradually faded away and the work was completed on time. I was so grateful for this healing that so clearly illustrated that mentally staying in the haven of Love brings peace and comfort and healing.
There have been many stories in the news recently when I have been reminded about the word ‘haven’ and its definitions. The refugees trying to find safe havens in Europe, communities involved with knife crimes working together for peace and security, the fires on the moor land in the north of the country needing repression and of course most recently the boys and their football coach trapped somewhere in underground caves in Thailand.
In each of these situations I have prayed for the safety of those involved, recognising that in God’s kingdom we are always protected and loved, however challenging the situation might be and these verses from the 91stPsalm affirm God’s constant care and love for us.
Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
As the story has continued to unfold about the children and their coach trapped in underground caves there were times when all hope of finding them seemed to be fading. I have to admit that fear often crept into my thoughts and I had to very quickly and very firmly replace these fears with affirmative prayers that God, good was guiding this group to a safe haven and that all those working to rescue them would be guided to this safe haven and be able to bring them back above ground.
While studying the Bible and my prayers based on the word ‘haven’, I found theses verses from Proverbs a comfort and reminder of God’s omnipresence and protection for all His children.
…..they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
For me, these words seem to perfectly described the situation…… the group has been found, the professionals have been able to pump water out of the caves to maintain safer levels and the quiet composure of these young boys when the rescuers’ lights were shone in their faces was inspiring.
A recent news headline was:
The parents of the boys have maintained a constant vigil outside the cave since they went missing, praying for their safe return.
I have noticed that the word ‘prayer’ has been mentioned on a number of occasions in the press in reports about the rescue, not only the prayers of the boys’ parents but globally, people from every denomination, in every corner of the world, supporting the situation through their dedicated prayers.
God’s angels, ‘His thoughts passing to man’ (Science and Health p581:4) have continued to inspire all the rescuers and give the boys, their coach and their families strength, peace and a sense of the spiritual security of God’s love surrounding them.
And now having heard that the rescue mission has been successfully completed I am filled with happiness and sincere gratitude to God for His unfailing Love and constant care.
In Miscellaneous Writings, (152:26-29) Mary Baker Eddy writes: ‘Thus founded upon the rock of Christ, when storm and tempest beat against this sure foundation, you, safely sheltered in the strong tower of hope, faith, and Love, are God’s nestlings; and He will hide you in His feathers till the storm has passed.
Into His haven of Soul there enters no element of earth to cast out angels, to silence the right intuition, which guides you safely home.""
(All of the books mentioned above can be purchased from our Reading Room or online from www.spirituality4.me
AW 2018