Think On This

"



                            "God's being is infinity, freedom, harmony,

                                            and boundless  bliss."*



                                 And so is that of His reflection, man --


                                                  you and me,


                                                       now.



                                          *Mary Baker Eddy

                     
                                  

God's Help With Animals

        It was a scary night for us.  One of our dogs was apparently bitten by a spider or some poisonous insect one evening.  He was on the back porch, and although screened-in did have floorboards with some space between them.  We knew immediately that something was wrong when he stood up shakily to get to the door.  He could hardly walk and was quite ill it was clear.  We managed to get him up on a bed, even though he's a large 70-lb dog.  We love the vet we have, but he wouldn't have been available at that hour of the night.  And we didn't want to take out beloved dog to an emergency place we weren't familiar with.

        Being accustomed to turning to God when trouble arises, my husband and I both reached out for divine aid.  I sat down on the rug next to the  bed and prayed for all I was worth.  John went to his office so he could turn away from the suffering, while he prayed.  For me, the human picture was daunting and my fear was nearly overwhelming at first.  But soon I felt divine Love's presence surrounding us all.  And after a couple of hours, our dog became quieter, then fell asleep.

        As I shared with a friend later, I felt certain that had we gotten our dog into the car and driven to the emergency hospital, not to mention probably having to wait to see a vet, then have tests done, he might not have made it through the night.  It was the immediacy of God's help that we were so thankful for.

        To our immense relief the next morning, our dog could get down from the bed under his own steam.  We took him out for a short walk in our woods.  Oh the joy we felt to see him recover so quickly and completely.

        As anyone with animals knows, things can and do happen that need attention, and we are so grateful that God's help is always available when our dear dogs and cats need His healing touch.

       

Sheltered in Him

        A fellow Christian Scientist said recently, "If we don't know we're always in God's presence, where are we looking for our safety?"

        The Bible and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy are helping me to do this, to feel God ever present.

        The Bible says, "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations."  (Psalms 90:1)  To really comprehend this glorious fact of man's perfect unity with God, good, is to enjoy His sheltering care under every conceivable human circumstance.  We can never for a moment be outside the sphere of divine Love's protecting, saving influence. 

        And Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures:  "Existence, separate from divinity, Science explains as impossible."

        The physical senses tell us we're subject to the material conditions surrounding us, that despite the precautions we may take for personal safety, we still remain pretty much potential victims of things we can't control. Christian Science maintains the opposite view.  Its teachings assure us that man -- the spiritual, God-created man referred to in the first chapter of the Bible -- is the beloved child of its Maker, divine Mind, never for an instant separated from His all-encompassing care. 

        Our Master, Christ Jesus, certainly relied on God whenever he was in a dangerous situation.  It was his absolute conviction of being inseparable from his Father that empowered Jesus to demonstrate dominion over any circumstance.  It can do the same for you and me.

        Jesus said, "He that sent me is with me:  the Father hath not left me alone."  Nor does our loving Father ever leave us alone and unprotected; rather, He keeps each and every one of us continuously sheltered in His omnipotence care.  Understanding this, we can feel God's all-encircling presence  -- wherever we go, wherever we are.
  

       

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).