Guest Column - John Wellsman

                                              Good, Better, Best...


Some may remember the old Sears & Roebuck mail order catalogs which in pre-internet days offered a vast array of merchandise to those unable to visit large retail outlets.  Part of Sears' marketing strategy was to offer many items in three quality/feature levels:  good, better, best to accommodate the widest possible range of customer pocketbooks.

The "good, better,  best" paradigm came to thought recently in working out some challenges through prayer in Christian Science.  It unfolded somewhat along these lines:  First there was a yearning, "Dear Heavenly Father, what do I need to know?"  Though some comforting thoughts came, it was clear that deeper prayer was needed.  This is not to say that many fine healings aren't experienced with just that heartfelt outreach; however it was clear to me that more was needed.

The next line of prayerful thought that opened up was, "What is God telling me about this situation?"  This led to some deeper reflection with each of the synonymns of God as given in the Christian Science Textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy:  Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love.  (p. 465:10)  Many thoughts unfolded as each synonymn was considered individually.  For example:  What is Mind, God, telling me about this situation?  What is God, Spirit telling me about the situation?  It became clear He, Spirit, certainly wasn't telling me about the material picture!  Comforting as these revelations were, it was still clear that greater depth was required.

Soon this thought occurred:  "What does God know about this?"  Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science has written:  "For God to know, is to be; that is, what He knows must truly and eternally exist."  In her book, "No and Yes" (p. 16:1) and further on page 16 she continues:  "He is Mind: and whatever He knows is made manifest, and must be Truth."  Again taking the synonyms, I asked myself:  "What does God, Life know about this?  What does God, Love know about this?"   This brought the thought that God, the All in all, Life certainly doesn't know about death nor does He know about hatred.  Thus death and hatred cannot possibly exist.  Many more thoughts along these lines unfolded with each of the synonyms.  Indeed many passages from Science and Health were illuminated with fresh, new understanding as well.

How does this relate to the "good, better, best" strategy?  Simply this:  asking "What do I need to know" is good, and has been very effective in many a prayer so it is certainly a good start; however it may suggest separation between God and man.  It also implies healing is dependent on our own, personal understanding.  Or something that needs to be done by, for, or to the one petitioning.  When one begins to ponder, "What is God telling me?" that's better as we can begin to see it's no dependent on our own understanding, but there still may be a suggestion of separation.  Or that we need to do something with what He tell us.  Like He is there and I'm here and he's telling someone separate from Him who may need to do something themselves.  Again, many wonderful healings have occurred at this level of prayer but it may not be the best that can be done.

Asking, "What does God know about this?" brings us to the "best" level of prayer as we can begin to see that what He knows truly exists as Mrs. Eddy has stated in the above quotation from "No and Yes."  Whatever truly exists must exist in the state which God knows and it must exist in that state now.  We are no longer trying to accomplish something that needs to be done, we are aligning ourselves with what already exists, with God Himself.

As we become conscious of true existence, we are aligning our consciousness with God, Mind and thus are thinking as God knows.  In turn our existence becomes the true existence of the one Mind, God.

Deeply pondering, "What does God know about this?" can bring about the most profound changes in our lives including long-sought physical healings.  And is not this the "best" level of prayer?


(John is a long-time friend who lives in Tucson, Arizona.  He's also a photographer and has this website:  www.JohnWellsmanPhotography.com)