(This blog posting is from longtime and loved friend, John Wellsman)
Witnessing an instantaneous healing through the application of scientific prayer in Christian Science is someting that one never forgets for the rest of their life. It is particularly satisfying to witness a healing of a much-loved pet.
Our first rescued/adopted retired racing greyhound was injured one afternoon during a play-group romp at an enclosed ballfield. It's something that happens frequently to greyhounds when they bump into each other as they're running. They can run up to 45mph! This particular incident left our dog with a 4-6" gash in his side.
We called a Christian Science Practitioner for prayerful support immediately on arrival home. Although it was an open wound right down to the rib cage cartilage there was no bleeding and the dog seemed in no discomfort. Nonetheless we realized the situation was serious and needed to be satisfactorily addressed.
After a couple of days with support from the Practitioner I felt it was time to pray on my own. After dismissing the Practitioner, I took the dog in my arms and sat down in a chair in my home office. This in itself probably looked strange as the dog weighed over seventy-five pounds and was slightly more than a lapful under any circumstances. I bowed my head humbly reaching out to God with a deep yearning to help this animal. In a very few momeents a line of prayerful reasoning--the details of which escape me now--came very clearly to my thought and as I followed these thoughts their absolute truths came with stunning clarity. I knew beyond the slightest doubt that all was well.
After another few moments I opened my eyes and put the dog off my lap. In doing this it was impossible not to see his side--it was definitely NOT a case of "praying and peeking" but simply that he came naturally within my line of vision and as I put him on the floor, it was evident that the gash was closing up rapidly. My thought was so conscious of his perfection in Mind that I thought no more of it. The entire incident lasted no more than five minutes.
Just a few minutes later the doorbell rang and two neighbor ladies came to visit my wife. The dog ran eagerly to the door to meet them and as they were petting him one said, "Oh, what happened to his side?" and before I could answser she looked closer and said, "it looks like he was hurt, but it's all closed up"! And it was. The scar disappeared rapidly--covered almost completely by hair--and the rest of the time this dog was with us, that particular scar was the least visible of several on his body. It was quite evident he had been a very successful and aggressive racer during his career. Although I don't know for certain, I have to assume the other injuries were attended to by vets at the track and most likely had been stitched up. Nonetheless they were far more visible than the one healed entirely through prayer.
Over the intervening years this healing has stood out to me as dramatic evidence of God's healing power. It is particularly satisfying to realize that healing accomplished mentally requires no recuperaative or convalescent period.
