The Light of God Surrounds Us,
The Love of God Enfolds Us,
The Power of God Protects Us,
The Presence of God Watches Over Us,
Wherever We Are, God Is.
I find great comfort in this prayer. Written by Unity minister and author James Dillet Freeman in response to requests from people caught in the dangers of WWII, this prayer has circulated around the world since 1941, appearing in hundreds of publications, beloved by people who have never heard of Unity. It has even flown in space! In 1969 astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin carried a copy with him on the first manned flight to land on the moon. Learn more about the Prayer for Protection.
What is it about this prayer that moves people so powerfully? I think it is the reassurance that we are not alone. That no matter what is happening in the world around us, or even within our own emotions and thoughts, there is a loving Presence watching over us. Painful experiences happen in the world. Yet suffering seems to come from the feeling that we are all alone with our pain. We lose hope. We cannot seem to muster a vision of a brighter day. When we open ourselves to Divine inspiration though, something changes. James Dillet Freeman, telling the story of how he came to write the Prayer says it this way, “Sometimes God speaks to us when we don’t even know it is God. I think God has many ways of speaking to us and not only in words that we hear with our ears. I think God speaks to our hearts and minds, and sometimes God’s message has nothing to do with words.”
Likely we are sadly aware of the heartbreaking events of the last month in our state and country. What is ours to do when tragedy pushes its way into the world, our lives, and the lives of those we care about? We can pray. Prayer is the highest form of perception, love made actual. Prayer transforms us. And its energy stirs up divine hope in those for whom we pray. Prayer doesn’t dismiss the sting, it expands us to a larger aspiration. It doesn’t excuse the hurt, it opens us to a vision of healing. It doesn’t blind us to anguish, it grows us into people who can, together with God, build a better world. Prayer doesn’t suppress us into inertia, it draws us to move our feet in constructive action. Whatever is happening, know this truth – “Wherever we are, God Is.”
In the Love and Light of the Christ,
Rev. Anna
