Monday, September 27, 2010

Healing of Much-Loved Pet

(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.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Decisions

(My friend in Texas has sent me the following to post on my blog. Hal Shrewsbury is a Naval Acedemy gratudate. He has served 20 years in the Navy as a Naval Aviator where among other assignments he was an advanced jet flight instructor at Beeville, TX. Has an MBA from UCLA. Spent 16 years teaching NJROTC at Millpitas High School, then 15 years a CS chaplain at a juvenile hall in San Leandro Federal Prison in Dublin, and Alameda County Jail where he presented Christian Science to thousands of inmates. Hal is currently a CS chaplain serving a drug rehab facility and juvenile hall in San Antonio.)


Agonizing to make a decision which I thought would either sacrifice a career opportunity or a personal relationship, I spent hours in a Christian Science reading room researching everything I could find only to leave undecided and dreading the decision. Mary Baker Eddy's statement, "Your decisions will master you, whichever direction they take." ("Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures", 392:22) was even more terrifying since I had recently made some bad career and relationship decisions.

I contacted a Christian Science practitioner who patiently listened as I explained my "hopeless" situation in great detail. He then told me that if I had no hope, there was nothing he could do to help me. Shocked because I had never had a practitioner tell me he couldn't help me, I told him I would "get" some hope. He then said I needed to use the truths I already knew and asked me to correct every negative, unGodlike thought that came to me with the truth I knew about God and myself as His image and likeness.

When the fear of losing the relationship came, the thought also came that I could never lose my relationship with God, my most important relationship. Then the thought came that my God-given career was to express God which I could do in any job. I soon regained my peace and joy and when the decision time came, I made it as best I could and it led me to both a wonderful career and relationship...there is never an "either, or" in God's kingdom. "Science and Health" tells us, man "is the compound idea of God including all right ideas;" (475:14-15). I can never express enough gratitude for this practitioner's demand that I both hope and use the truths I had.

In retrospect I learned several lessons:
1. We must always turn to God rather than ourselves for decision.
2. Use the truths we know...Elijah and Elisha both told widow women to use what they had and Jesus used the loaves he had to feed the 5000.
3. Finally, our deicions, good or bad, can never affect God's loving truth about us any more than they can affect the sum of two plus two, but as we replace our fears and concerns with God's thoughts, we will find ourselves having that Mind which was also in Christ Jesus, making beter decisions which always bless us.

Monday, September 20, 2010

God First (Poem)

Not enough time in the day

To do all the things you need to do?

Your priorities are out of whack.

Consider placing God's demands

Above other people's and your own.

Look at Christ Jesus, someone

Who was never stressed out or hurried,

Yet was always on time for healing.

Why was this, do you think?

Could one reason have been,

"I do always those things that please him"?

(John 8:29)

A holy example, this.

But something all can shoot for.

Even the willingness to pray,

May this day be lived the way,

Heavenly Father, You know is best

Will begin adjusting circumstances

As only God can do.

Wanting to please Him,

And do things His way,

Can't help but weed out the

Unnecessary in your day-to-day.

There will then be enough time

For Him -- first don't forget --

And time enough for you.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Those who love Christ

Received in the mail the other day some interesting material: a book and a magazine devoted to the persecution Christians around the world are experiencing. Don't know where this group got my address, but was inspired by the accounts of those who love Christ and are willing to give their all for what they value most in this life.

Yesterday, I passed it along to Joel, a friend who works at Starbucks, who postively loves Christ. This young man attends the University of Tennessee, works at what he considers a humble job, since Jesus was among us as one who serveth. And this man yearns to be a preacher someday, and even now has an opportunity to preach at a friend's church.


Reflecting on what I read in those publications, and the glow Joel has for things of the Spirit, couldn't help being grateful for every individual who has Christ front and center in their lives. They have a joy and peace of mind and purpose--a real zest for life--that ones who don't have this love central to their lives, just cannot be experiencing. Without love for God's Highest, and a desire to follow wherever this leads us, something vital is missing. And of course, we see it in the lives of those who should know better, those who have an abundance of help in the Holy Scriptures. And in the writings of Mary Baker Eddy! (Hint, hint)

This was a woman who was willing to give her all to do what God inspired her to do. And these words are among my favorite. They're found in "Miscellaneous Writings" (page 281): "Admiral Coligny, in the time of the French Huguenots, was converted to Protestantism through a stray copy of the Scriptures that fell into his hands. He replied to his wife, who urged him to come out and confess his faith, 'It is wise to count the cost of becoming a true Christian.' She answered him, 'It is wiser to count the cost of not becoming a a true Christian.' So, whatever we meet that is hard in the Christian warfare we must count as nothing, and must think instead, of our poverty and helplessness without this understanding, and count ourselves always as debtors to Christ, Truth." (This follower of Christ was later martyed for his faith, I read.)

The above incident that Mrs. Eddy writes about occurred during the Protestant Reformation. Having read widely of the heroes and heroines of this grand time has brought much inspiration into my life. To learn of what Martin Luther, William Tynedale, John Wycliffe, and John Wesley, to name just a few, endured--often unspeakable hardship--rather than become remiss in their duty to God and man, has shined a light on my path.

And speaking of Wesley, who as everyone knows, is the father of the Methodist denomination, I once read an account of his preaching that left me in awe. He was preaching out of doors, the only place open to him since the Church of England disapproved of his efforts to bring vital Christianty back into the church. This one day, the crowd became unruly because of some ruffians stirring them up. One man hurled a brick at Wesley's head and knocked him unconscious. But this, this part was amazing to me. His friends lifted him up, and according to several eye-witnesses, this holy little man was loving and calm and did not seek retribution on the one who had injured him--a Christlike response I cannot even imagine at this point. Not the not returning evil for evil, but behaving in such a calm manner.

But if this doesn't show the peace and power of a life given over to Christ! If this blog post reaches just one individual who has yet to put love for Christ in their hearts, then God be thanked. A new day is about to dawn for that heaven-blessed person.

Let me close this with something else the courageous woman who founded my church wrote: "Sacred history shows that those who have followed exclusively Christ's teacing, have been scourged in the synogogues and persecuted from city to city. But this is no cause for not following it; and my only apology for trying to follow it is that I love Christ more than all the world..." (Message to The Mother Church for 1901)

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Jesus' Life-Changing Words

And here I'm talking about obeying our Master's words. Sitting on the front steps early this beautiful September morning, was thinking about all that God does for us. Two instances came to thought where doing what Jesus says set me free. As it always has and always will do. For anyone.


The first revolves around our neighbors to the right--the husband a tough ex-Navy man with language to match who was once not easy to deal with This is an understatement! Wanting to run things for others, he actually began planting some rose bushes on our property. This was just the culminating "We're not going to put up with this!" intrusion. We spoke to him. One encounter led to another, and pretty soon, we were in the thick of discord. For some time, he and his wife avoided us in the yard, and we returned the favor.

Then one day, I was reading the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus' words, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God" jumped off the page for me. I was not thinking or behaving like I belonged to our heavenly Father at all. I knew the time had come that I needed to get my thinking and actions in line with the divine demand. "I can't do this!" was my reaction. "Not where old Baker is concerned." But wanting to be obedient--knowing I had to be--prayerful work began in earnest. It took some time for things to thaw, but do you know, today Baker and I are real buddies. I really love this man. He helps me in various ways, and we do likewise for him and his wife. It's such a sense of freedom to have the easy, warm relationship we have now.

On one level, the initial reaction we might have, to handle inharmonious situations ourselves, could be satisfying for a time. To fight fire with fire, in a manner of speaking, could be tempting. But this would be like putting Miracle Grow on our flowerbeds. We just should not handle conflict this way. I admit following Jesus' teachings is hard to do at times. But peacemaking in everyday occurrences makes other incidents needing peace-keeping that much easier. And challenges will come for all of us who are soldiers of Christ. No, it isn't always easy to rise instantly to the occasion when discord rears its ugly head. But the Christian warfare is glorious. Whatever praying is necessary to control mere personal reaction and do the right thing is well worth the effort.

"Oh, I can just not say anything under provocation, if that's what it takes to keep the peace," someone might say, "but I sure don't have to like it." Smoldering resentment at the actions of other people won't make the grade. As Jesus instructs, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)

Am I telling you that always keeping silent is the one sure way to get along harmoniously with others? No. There might well be circumstances where not speaking up would be cowardly and ineffectual. But in any case there is a need to respond in a Christlike spirit, with loving words and actions meant to heal the situation, not inflame it.

We can each make peace in these small, everyday encounters. The Bible counsels, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." (Romans 12:18) Making earnest efforts to follow this instruction in our daily contacts with our fellowman, we will experience much more harmony. And the best, the really sublime part, we will be conducting ourselves more and more in keeping with what Jesus taught about how to coexist peacefully with others.

The other experience involves a neighbor around the other cul-de-sac. This woman had, and still does I presume, all the juiciest gossip one could wish to hear. Being a person who wants to be kind to others, I let myself be drawn into conversations that left me feeling dirty, not right. But I didn't want to offend her. Then one day I came across something Jesus says about needing to take account for all our words. This is in Matthew 12:36: "...I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement." This I took to mean me and gossip. I took these words to heart and truly wanted to obey them. As is always the case, I had my opportunity not long after to put my resolve to the test. Here came this woman one day when I was doing some gardening. Although she had in mind to relay the latest gossip, this time the conversation was kept on a higher level. I did not even want to engage in what she had to say, had no interest in the news at all. We chatted without her taking offense or thinking me cold. Ever after, God has caused our paths to not collide. Just haven't been put in the circumstance where there was any problem.

Something from Mary Baker Eddy's writings, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" to be exact, was helpful in all of this as well. "Neither sympathy nor society should ever tempt us to cherish error in any form, and certainly we should not be error's advocate." (pages 153, 154) This helped me see that while I wanted to be neighborly, it was not incumbent upon me to go along with gossip just to keep the peace, so to speak.

Doing what God gave Jesus to give us as guidelines for living does change things for the better. And I find that wanting to follow in Jesus' steps brings a sense of dignity as well. We become more discriminating in what we do and say. We have a right, under God's direction, to think our own thoughts. The determining factor in our everyday harmony is our obedience to what we know is right, to what will please our heavenly Father--never what other people may be thinking or wanting us to go along with. At the door of our own thought is where we maintain our Christly composure and sense of dominion.

Let me repeat: the desire to do things Jesus' way unfailingly brings the right distance, balance, freedom, to our dealings with others. And rather than letting down our standards, it causes us to become more judicious. We learn to keep human opinion and influence at arm's length and are empowered to entrust our unfolding spiritual understanding and progress to God alone. No neighborly, Christian behaviour is forfeited, just harmony and helpfulness to others increased.

How practical and powerful are Jesus' words!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Guest Article

"The City Foursquare and Healing"


By: Harold Shrewsbury




Mary Baker Eddy's discovery of Christian Science is as revolutionary today as it was when she discovered it in 1866 because it is based on a spiritual understanding of God which heals the sick and the sinning, rather than on the faith of most Christian churches. She describes how to reach this spiritual understanding in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, in which she writes: Divine metaphysics is now reduced to a system, to a form comprehensibvle by and adapted to the thought of the ae in which we live." (146:31) In the preface she explains healing in Christian Science as the "the operation of divine Principle (a term she uses to describe God) before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light." (xi:9-14) This phenomena is similar to mathematics where a mistake such as 2 plus 2 equals 10 is corrected by the understanding of the fact that 2 plus 2 equals 4. As any mathematical error can be corrected by "mathematizing" consciousness, so the errors of material sense can be corrected or healed by spiritualizing consciousness in which all unlike God or good disappears much like all the wrong answers disappear to someone who understands mathematics.

Her discovery was based on her lifelong study of the Bible and Jesus' healings. Genesis 1:31 tells us of a creation where evil can exist only as a lie or mistake. "God saw everything he had made and behold, it was very good:" So the devil, a name for evil, is described by Jesus as a "liar and the father of it." (John 8:44) The remedy for any lie is the truth, and Jesus tells us to "know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32) Christian Science heals by knowing (understanding) the truth about un-Godlike errors in human experience which in turn transforms material consciousness, where sin, disease and death appear, to spiritual consciounsess, where they disappear.

Science and Health gives a step by step explanation of how to achieve this transformation in consciousness and the last chapter, "The Apocalypse", gives us the summary of this process in its unique and profound interpretation of the sacred city descending out of heaven from God in John's Revelation whose four sides are the Word, Christ, Christianity, and divine Science (575:17-20). She says "the four equal sides of (the city) are heaven-bestowed and heaven-bestowing." (574:22-24) The city, New Jerusalem is heaven-bestowed because it comes "down from heaven, God" and it is heaven-bestowing because it explains how the Word of God transforms human consciousness from a human basis, where both good and evil exist, to the spiritual or Godlike base in which only good exists,and all that is un-Godlike such as sin and disease disappear.

This process is similar to the way we learn any subject: we learn addition (Word or statement of addition); adopt or become one with this principle (Christ); use it to solve a problem (Christianity); and achieve an understanding of addition (Science). So to heal in Christian Science we acknowledge the Truth (Word); identify ourselves with it. (Christ..."I and my Father are one." John 10:30); express it in our human experience (Christianity); and the Truth becomes a self-evident fact to our now spiritualized consciousness in which all unlike this Truth disappears (Christian Science or spiritual understanding).

The following instantaneous healing is an illustration of this: As a student of Christian Science, my needs had been met through my understanding of the statement from Science and Health, "Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need." (494:10). During flight training in the Navy I found myself lonely and depressed at a new base where I knew no one. Turning again to that statement for healing, I felt I was going back to "square one" but instead I found myself at "square two" when it suddenly dawned on me that since I was God's image and likeness, I was the expression of that Love that meets the human need, rather than the human in need of this Love. Instantly the loneliness and depression left me and I felt a sense of peace and well being as if a light was turned on in my lonely BOQ room. As the expression of Love I felt I should be meeting a human need and busied myself at the base swimming pool that afternoon teaching youngsters how to dive as I had done at summer camp as a boy. Attending a Christian Science church in town the next Sunday, a lady introduced herself and her daughter to me and for the rest of my stay at that base I had the wonderful companionship of this daughter and her family. My experience changed as my consciousness changed and my human need was met. As I accepted Love (Word) as my identity (Christ) and expressed it in my experience (Christianity), I gained the consciousness of Love, and all unlike Love disappeared (Science). In the above illustration I do not imply that all one has to do to demonstrate the healing power of Christian Science is to read the preface and last chapter of its textbook.

On the contrary, each chapter prepares the reader to understand the next chapter. Furthermore, each spiritual concept must not only be read, but applied and lived, before it is truly understood just as addition isn't really understood until the student can demonstrate it. In her last chapter of her book Mrs. Eddy tells us to read this book from beginning to end (again since we've already read it thus far), study it, ponder it. (559:21) Students of Christian Science should continuously be reading Science and Health from beginning to end because consciousness is constantly evolving as one reads and gains new views of divine reality. Each time I read this book and the Bible, I feel I am reading it from a new, more spiritual viewpoint. I feel I am constantly putting on the "new man" Paul describes in Ephesians and Mrs. Eddy describes as God's idea "forever developing itself and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis." (258:13-15) Understanding an infinite God is an infinitely ongoing experience.

In my healing I moved from identifying myself as a needy human to the expression of the Love that meets the human need, and my experience reflected that new understanding. You can measure your progress in your prayerful study by noting the change in consciousness from "sense to Soul" as Hymn 64 goes, rather than watching for a change in your material situation. I was healed while still in the lonely room and John saw his vision of the city foursqure while still in prison on the island of Patmos. As we spiritually digest the truths of the Bible through our understanding of Christian Science, we become the expression of those truth wherever we are. The city foursquare is an infinite, on-going, eternal journey of new views and healing.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

An Excellent Column

I would like to share some thoughts on an excellent column I just read in the New York Times. It is by Thomas L. Friedman, and his concluding sentence is worth quoting I feel. "Right now the Hindus and Confucians have more Protestant ethics than we do, and as long as that is the case we'll be no 11!"

His piece talks about far too many Americans not wanting to do the work required to excel, only wanting the past few years to have it easy, get the rewards without expending the effort required. And sadly, our country now being rated in 11th place in the world.

This naturally made me think of my religion and something its Discoverer and Founder, Mary Baker Eddy, writes in Message to The Mother Church for 1900: "The song of Christian Science is, 'Work -- work -- work -- watch and pray.'

I am glad that this is so, that what I believe and live by does take a lot of work. And along with other students of Christian Science, have learned to start the day with "work" -- that is to say, prayerful affirmation of God's control of all things, that He goes with me in everything I do, that I am in fact His spiritual image and likeness, maintained by His divine laws. These are just some of the truths I like to get clear before anything else comes up. There are an infinite number of ways and things we can pray-- "work' to establish about ourselves and others.

Is doing what our great Master commanded demanding? Absolutely. Is working in Christian Science a serious business? Absolutely. It is essential if we're to keep on upward wing, pleasing God as we should.

However, it is mental activity that is refreshing/strengthening/uplifting. I recall when just a new practitioner and praying for a lady who was having a baby, a wonderful lesson I learned. Oh was I working up a storm. The husband kept calling me as things went along. It seemed they were not going as well as expected. I redoubled my praying. Finally, I was about to wear myself out. It was then that I called upon my teacher in Christian Science and related my experience. She listened, then almost chuckled, "My dear, let Christ do the work"! Almost at once, the husband phoned that the baby was here and all was well.

I've never forgotten this excellent counsel, and of course, just after she said this, realized that the truths I was knowing, "working" with, had the healing power--not I per se. It was all-powerful Christ, Truth that carries the day and restores harmony to whatever is the challenge. This has helped me so many times and perhaps it will be freeing for someone else who happens to read this blog.

Have a lovely day!

Friday, September 10, 2010

The Lord's Prayer--Powerful! (From Lindy)

A month or so ago I was waiting in my veterinarian's office while one of my dogs was getting a required annual shot. That office was rocking with people, their dogs and cats, their kids, and staff members--it was wild.

I was trying to pray for a family member who appeared to be seriously ill and wanted my prayerful help. I couldn't seem to focus for more than a few seconds before I would become distracted by everything that was going on around me. I felt the need to pray but how to do it? It came to me to pray the Lord's Prayer, which our Master, Christ Jesus gave us. I knew I could focus on the Lord's Prayer, because it was so familiar to me. Mrs. Eddy tells us in her great work, Science and Health, that it is the prayer that covers all human needs, and instantaneously heals the sick. So slowly, thinking about each line, keeping my eyes closed, I began to pray. I especially love the Lord's Prayer because when you pray, you are not only praying for yourself, but for all mankind. The prayer starts, Our Father, not My Father!

I was in my third repetition when I heard a huge crash! I opened my eyes and to my surprise, I was totally alone in the waiting room. The crash was a two car accident on the street right outside. Two little girls, who had been playing on the sidewalk while waiting for the folks inside the vet's, ran inside crying. I was able to comfort them and lead them to the room where their parents were located. I alerted the staff to call 911. A young man entered the office, who had observed the accident, saying everyone involved in the accident was fine. He volunteered to wait outside for the police and direct traffic. The state police showed up within minutes, even though the vet was located out in the country. If ever you could call an accident gentle and harmonious, this was it. I was so grateful I was praying right when the accident occurred, and that I was praying the prayer that meets all human needs. Oh and my family member?-- she was quickly healed within days.

I am so grateful for the healing Christ, and the insight and understanding Mary Baker Eddy provides us in her writings.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Wish you felt better?

Allow me to suggest that you can. Although what I'm thinking about this morning is directed primarily to those who visit this blog and are not Christian Scientists, I trust it may prove helpful to any reader -- believers and non. No one has to put up with feeling ill.

You may be someone who believes in God, who relies on divine power for help in many ways. But you have not been taught to turn to Him for healing. Or you may not give God a thought. This is possible, in these times, I realize. But you should be doing both!

Let me start with God, with the Bible. This verse from the Old Testament offers eternal comfort to anyone needing to experience better health. "I am the Lord that healeth thee." (Exodus 15:26) The Bible speaks of the all-power of God, Spirit. It tells of men and women through the ages who have proved God's uplifting and healing power. Paaramount among these, Christ Jesus put his total trust in God in all the circumstances of daily life. He did mighty works of healing through what he knew of God's power and of man's nature as the child of God.

Christians very rightly gain tremendous inspiration from studying Jesus' life and works. A person could never feel too much reverence for what our Saviour said, taught, and did for us. But it is equally right for you and me to understand the Christ, or Truth, demonstrated in his life, words, and works. Our Master's unequaled example was not merely to inspire mankind but to help us to understand how to be free from every form of material bondage, physical suffering included. He promises, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also." (John 14:12).

This can be accomplished as one understand the spiritual truths, or laws, underlying Jesus' words and deeds. Explained fully and clearly in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, this scientificaly Christian way of health does not ignore disease; it undermines the very foundation of disease. It enables one to master fear and the discord associated with it, through applying to one's own life the spiritual truths found in Jesus' teachings and acts.

Showing the spiritual nature of health, Christian Science teaches that God, Spirit, who maintains man, knows nothing about sickness, nor does His creation, man. This might seem unrealistic to some people. Nonetheless, such a view is backed up by the first account of creation in the Bible, where man is declared to be the handiwork of God. Since you and I are actually God's spiritual, perfect offspring, we can't be deprived of God's care, can't be robbed of the spiritual well-being He provides. This is our true health, our wholeness. Since we have our perpetual being in Him, divine Spirit, we are not at the mercy of fear or disease.

The spiritual is the actual. Man is not, in fact, what the physical senses report -- flesh, blood, and bones. The material present an illlusory view of man. If man is the image of God, good, made in His likeness, then you and I are, of necessity, spiritual, perfect right now.

"To ignore God as of little use in sickness is a mistake. Instead of thrusting Him aside in times of bodily trouble and waiting for the hour of strength in which to acknowledge Him, we should learn that He can do all things for us in sickness as in health." (Science and Health, page 166)

I am not writing airy things to you. Were I to list in detail the physical healings I've had through the years from relying on God's power, you might not have time to read them. Just let me say that obtaining the book I mentioned above could be what you are looking for. What do you have to lose? Nothing. And you may well gain more than you know.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Something wonderful!

I know that my fellow Christian Scientists will rejoice at something that just has to be shared. If this doesn't show how God works to bless His children!

Going back a few weeks, it seems a woman felt it her religious duty to send me an email saying that she was praying for my soul, that she was burdened with the thought of my heading to hell! This isn't the first time someone has been disturbed that I am a student of Christian Science (as a recent blog post points out -- "Reply to someone trying to save me"). But this appeared more stirred up than some others. I answered her, in effect, that while I appreciated her concern, I wouldn't think of leaving my religion that I thanked God for every single day.

This continued for a bit. Then I received an email suggesting I visit the website that is run by former Christian Scientists who feel they now have Jesus and didn't before. I, of course, have read through this site and couldn't help but note the bitterness of some of the individuals who have posted on it. And in fact, it was being aware of their website that inspired me to start my own blog 2 years ago this month. I replied, "And I have a suggestion for you. There is a wonderful book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy that you might wish to check out." She replied that she was going to read this book that weekend.

Well, I didn't hear from her for a few days. Then last Friday afternoon, the phone rang and when I picked it up, it was this lady calling. Obviously had gotten my phone number from my blog. She was reading the textbook, said she didn't understand all of it (this is understandable). But the marvelous part was, she was not combative, sounded meek and sweet. I said, "Now we don't need to debate our beliefs. You are doing what you feel God wants, and so am I." I said this when she identified herself as the one who had been emailing. We chatted a bit about where do you live, I live in Michigan. Do you live in the mountains and so forth. I said, "God loves you, and so do I." And that was that.

I couldn't help noting that she sounded rather ill (which I denied) and it struck me that any truth which lights up for her in Mrs. Eddy's book can't help but help her.

Isn't God wonderful the way He works to bring good to all concerned!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Why wait for Heaven?

Someone I know in another Christian denomination said recently, "I can't wait to get to heaven. Then I'll find the bluebird of happiness." This young man was, of course, thinking he had to pass on before he could realize full joy. Couldn't help being grateful for the teachings of Christian Science and what they bring out about heaven.

Because they have not been taught the joy and practicality of developing their spiritual sense,many people deprive themselves of a better and happier life, looking to some future heaven to provide them with fulfillment and happiness.

However, my religion shows that it is unnecessary for anyone to wait before experiencing happiness, health, and well-being. Man does not have to postpone good to some future time -- he receives it from God and reflects it now. God, divine Love, is contantly bestowing on His spiritual likeness, man, blessings that are satisfying and unending.

When Christ Jesus was approached by someone in need,, he did not refer that person to a future paradise. Instead, our Lord and Master blessed the receptive seeker right then and there. Did Jesus not say (Luke 17:21), "Behold, the kingdom of God is within you"? When we sincerely open our thoughts to the ever-present Christ, Truth, we are given the spiritual ideas to meet our present human need, whether for a job, companionship, safety, a place to live, or release from pain or suffering.

Does a loving human parent -- aware of his children's needs -- intentionally withhold good? How much more, then, may we expect from our heavenly Father, infinite, ever-present, divine Love!

Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered and founded Christian Science, writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, (171), "Through discernment of the spiritual opposite of materiality, even the way through Christ, Truth, man will reopen with the key of divine Science the gates of Paradise which human beliefs have closed, and will find himself unfallen, upright, pure and free."

One may have been taught by the religion he follows to look to heaven as the only place where a person can find constant good. But because Jesus declared that the kingdom of God, all good, is already within us, I would like to say to any non-Christian Scientists reading my blog (and I'm aware there are quite a number), accept what our Saviour teaches as the God-given truth. You do not have to wait for heaven!