Protected by Prayer

The “Prayer for Protection” is second nature to me. As I repeat it throughout each day, I remember the time it was an actual lifesaver.

Years ago, my husband, Joe, and I looked for somewhere magical and meaningful to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. One day, I saw a poster of Machu Picchu in Peru. Two months later, we were on a flight to Lima, where we joined fellow travelers from around the globe. That first glimpse of the Inca ruins elicited a joyous feeling of coming home and belonging. I could not have known then a harrowing misadventure was on the horizon.

We’d signed up for a side trip to the island of Taquile in the middle of Lake Titicaca, South America’s largest lake. From the sunny deck, we spotted a triple rainbow on our way to the island, but when we departed the next day, the skies were dark and full of ominous clouds. The boat that left before ours had turned back toward the island, but our group of 20 boarded and sat down on wooden benches inside the cabin. The only others were the wiry old captain who took his seat at the stern and a young local man and his family.

Swelling Waves

Waves began to swell as we motored across the lake. It was exciting at first, and several passengers exclaimed, “Whee!” as we rode over each one. When the waves doubled, then tripled in size, we became silent, drawing into ourselves. There weren’t enough life jackets to go around. The captain and the young man began to exchange short, sharp sentences in Quechua. Suddenly, the young man jumped up and took the wheel, while the captain went below to keep the motor going.

I had kept my fearful thoughts at bay by repeating the “Prayer for Protection.” I realized whenever I say it, I am declaring my unshakable belief that God will never abandon me, and trusting I am forever under God’s protection.

As I watched the scene unfold, I thought of the Bible story of Jesus in the boat during a storm, but we had no one to calm the seas. The waves grew, towering over our boat. I repeated the “Prayer for Protection” as a continuous mantra: “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,” adding “And all is well.” Out of the blue, my imagination conjured an image of our families back home hearing a newscast: “Tourist group perishes in 55-degree Lake Titicaca.” My fearful thoughts began to sabotage my prayer. I deleted the image by returning to the prayer and repeating it for what felt like a thousand times. Joe looked into my eyes and said, “Arlene, I love you.” I will never forget that moment or the intensity of his look, realizing he wanted those words to be his last if we perished together.

Through the Storm

Our young captain steered us through the storm to another mainland port. We waited hours for a bus back to our hotel. No one talked much. That night as Joe and I settled into bed, I asked him if he had been afraid we were going to die. He confessed he had repeated all the prayers he knew.

I will never forget how our little group survived what might have been a tragedy. I had kept my fearful thoughts at bay by repeating the “Prayer for Protection.” I realized whenever I say it, I am declaring my unshakable belief that God will never abandon me, and trusting I am forever under God’s protection. It’s no wonder this prayer by Unity author James Dillet Freeman is treasured by millions of people and is one of the most repeated and impactful prayers in the world.