The Way To Go

I've tried it both ways,

and letting God lead

is the way to go,

no matter what the woe.

So, I've learned to pray

when foot first touches floor,

may this day be lived,

dear heavenly Father,

with Your all-wise will

its guide and core.

Joy

A lovely time Christmas,
A season of joy.
But whatever the
the time of year,
'tis the season,
always a reason
for God's gift of joy --
to share it all around us.
We had seen this jogger before,
A college girl she seemed,
On the path where
We walk our dogs.
But this morning,
Unlike the other couple of times
Running on past us,
She doubled back and stopped.
"You don't know what
Your happy faces do for me!"
Total surprise, and more,
A feeling of "who us?" -
Not one word of
Cheer having passed our lips,
Not knowing this girl,
Not knowing she needed
To see smiling faces.
But point taken:
The slightest thing can
Touch another's life for good.
So, resolved to cultivate joy,
Not paste it on.
              But feel it,
              Show it.



       

My Goal For Today

        And not only for today, but beyond--way beyond:


        From Matthew, our beloved Christ Jesus' command
                        to his followers in all time to
                                    
                  "Go and teach all nations, baptizing them
                    in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
                              and of the Holy Ghost:
                    Teaching them to observe all things
                    whatsoever I have commanded you;"




                  And from Mary Baker Eddy's sublime poem
                                 "Christ My Refuge"
                                   


                            "My prayer, some daily good to do
                                        To Thine, for Thee;
                             And offering pure of Love, whereto
                                       God leadeth me."

Our Power Source

       



        To use a seasonal illustration, while putting up outside Christmas lights this past weekend and making sure they were all connected to the power source, I thought about the source of our power, yours and mine.

        From my study and practice of Christian Science, I've learned to look on God as all-powerful, our divine source.  And you and I are never stronger than when we are connected to Him as our everpresent, sustaining influence.

        In the New Testament, Paul makes this striking statement:  "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).  But how many people these days are trying to do all things without Christ!  This is sad, for  not only does such a spiritually weakened way of life go against God's will for His children; it would deprive us of utilizing the incomparable help of divine power.

        Why live another day this way?  Why--when looking to God as the continuous giver of ability, vitality, and intelligence is so energizing?  Depending on our Father, God, is the obedient thing to do.  It glorifies Him.  And in turn, it empowers us to get so much more done every day.

        Turning to God as the only power brings into manifestation the qualities already ours as His spiritual offspring.  The result is more physical stamina with which to carry out life's demands, increased mental sharpness, more creativity--in short, a greater expression of God's infinite capacities.  The Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures points out how natural it is for God's creation to express power.  "All that God imparts moves in accord with Him, reflecting goodness and power," writes Mary Baker Eddy (p. 515).

        Man is actually the very expression of divine, infinite Spirit.  Grasping this holy fact,  you start to realize that your real identity is not a material entity at all. It is spiritual, like your creator, and already includes such qualities as energy and inspiration.

        The purpose of Christ Jesus' life was to show us how to avail ourselves of spiritual power.  This power, the Christ-power, is always with us.  Christ is our Saviour from all that would limit and weaken us and keep us from being all that God created us to be.

        And for the committed follower of the Master, nothing is more important than a Christlike character and works. Here God's help is absolutely essential--as any one of us knows who has tried to correct character weaknesses.  It's a  hopeless proposition without the divine assistance of Christ.  But when we're leaning on the His power, and conforming to Jesus' precepts, it's a different story altogether.

        What are these precepts?  One way to think of them is as God's holy laws.  And when we take seriously these laws that Jesus taught and lived, we are spiritually strengthened.  Jesus lived to love God supremely and his fellow beings as himself.  The desire to do things God's way runs like a shining thread through the Master's life.  Put aside self to follow his example, and you'll find more Christlikeness coming out in your life.  You'll see the noble character the world so needs right now.

        Now, when it comes to putting off self for more Christlikeness, we may have to pray diligently at times.  It may take hard work to summon enough spiritual strength to do God's will.  But what of it?  Think of Jesus' struggles in the wilderness with the devil at the beginning of his selfless ministry, and at Gethsemane during the sublime and triumphant end of his career.  Actually following God's plan and not our own may take more selflessness than we think we have at times.  It can seem as if the devil is sitting on one shoulder, saying, "You're not actually going to do what God wants you to do, are you?  Where are your pride and self-determination?"  Fortunately, equally at hand and infinitely more persuasive is the potent Christ, Truth, voicing God's promise of blessedness and reward for those who keep His commandments.  As Christ Jesus once said, "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be:  if any man serve me, him will my Father honour" (John 12:26).

        I've often observed that the "secret" of so many people of noble and enduring character is that they not only believed in the soundness of Jesus' teachings; they lived his precepts.

        Whatever area of our lives needs shoring up, God's power is ever at hand to do it.  Habitually relying on Him for what we need enables us to feel His loving presence more consistently.  And this is so wonderful that we may find ourselves thanking Him for challenging times that awaken us to the need to stay connected to the divine power always at hand.

        Conforming our thoughts and deeds, day by day, to the Christly model Jesus exemplified will not only strengthen our character; it will lead to the Christly works that humanity is so in need of. The Bible states, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God:  I will strengthen thee; year, I will  help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10).