Uncluttering

"Now ye are clean through the word
Which I have spoken unto you,"*
Our Lord and Master said.
It never fails; it never will,
Living Jesus' words,
Putting God's precepts out front,
Changes things for us:
Speaking personally,
Media trash gets left by the curb;
Pointless political discussions
Simply cease to be.

We can count on it --
Christ-following transforms.
We no longer find ourselves
Where we don't need to be.
Life becomes purer,
Simpler, more than ever free --
Just the way our heavenly Father
Wants it to be.


          (*John  15:3)

Loving Jesus' Words

                                         "This is my beloved Son,
                                         in whom I am well pleased;
                                                   hear ye him."
                                              
                                                  (Matthew 17:5)





                                      Loving Jesus' words as I do,

                                      Can't  help wanting for them

                                      What His Father wants --

                                      Homage, obedience, love.



                                      Do you want this

                                      for Jesus' words, too?
                  

Emerging From the Unreal

        One day while sitting in a friend's office in downtown Boston and talking about this and that, this man who also was a Christian Science practitioner, said the most arresting thing.  As he gazed out of the window, he remarked, "How few people out there have even begun to wake up from this mortal dream of life in matter."

        I've thought much about this through the years, and realize more than ever its critical need for all of us.  And one of the beauties of Christian Science (and there are many), is that through the spiritual understanding it gives we can't help but emerge from what is actually unreal.

        The teachings of Christian Science stand on the eternal reality of life in and of God alone--in divine, infinite Spirit--as demonstrated by Christ Jesus.  The Master taught that God is Spirit.  Therefore Christian Science draws the logical conclusion that the offspring of God, Spirit--in other words, man--is entirely spiritual; he always has been and ever will  be.

        The Science of Christianity elaborates on man's true, spiritual nature.  It helps us understand that belief in life in matter is an error, a mistake, ignorance of what God made and sees as real and present.  This so-called existence has its being in the darkness and restrictions of mortal thought, in a supposed material consciousness apart from the one, infinite, divine Mind.

        Mary Baker Eddy points out in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "Mortal existence is a dream of pain and pleasure in matter, a dream of sin, sickness, and death; and it is like the dream we have in sleep, in which every one recognizes his condition to be wholly a state of mind.  In both the waking and the sleeping dream, the dreamer thinks that his body is material and the suffering is in that body."

        Let's consider some of the reasons what waking up to life in Sprit does for us.  So many blessings to select from!  There is the increased joy and vitality one experiences.  Better health, increased harmony in day-to-day relationships, and a greater sense of God's constant provision are also benefits of emerging from the unreal.  Whatever form of discord may confront us is an erroneous belief which stems from ignorance of our inseparable relation to God, divine Love.  And it is corrected by spiritually realizing the truth of God and man.

        Inharmony is never more than an illusion of physical sense, a lie about God's perfect creation.  It is somewhat like the bad dream one has at night--frightening, yet not real.  And what comfort and freedom we feel when we wake up and see that there is nothing there at all.

        When we know the truth of God and of ourselves as His reflection, we understand the falsity of mortal beliefs and fears.  And this understanding increases our dominion over them.  Christian Mind-healing involves an awaking from a material and false sense of being to the spiritual and true sense.

        In Psalms we find this petition to God:  "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."  The teachings of divine Science show us how to witness the fulfillment of this petition.  Here is just one of the many clear explanations to be found in Science and Health:  "For right reasoning there should be but one fact before the thought, namely, spiritual existence.  In reality there is no other existence, since Life cannot be united to its unlikeness, mortality.

        "Being is holiness, harmony, immortality.  It is already proved that a knowledge of this, even in small degree, will uplift the physical and moral standard of mortals, will increase longevity, will purify and elevate character.  Thus progress will finally destroy all error, and bring immortality to light."

        The night dream vanishes when we wake up from it--not by doing anything to it.  In a similar way we emerge from the unreal through the exercise of spiritual thinking, not by trying to rearrange or change the illusion.  So-called material life is mental and just as much an illusion as the night dream.  The need is always for more spiritual enlightenment.  As material beliefs are replaced by spiritual understanding, existence is perceived as God created it.

        There is one more reason why we should want to emerge from the unreal of material thinking.  Science and Health points out:  "Entirely separate from the belief and dream of material living, is the Life divine, revealing spiritual understanding and the consciousness of man's dominion over the whole earth."



       

Credit Where It's Due*

Rather than just retire,

Her heart on fire

To reach others with

What had set her free

From years of suffering --

God's divine method of healing --

She prayed and toiled, leaned on God,

Wrote down what He revealed.

This lady loved Christ Jesus

More than all the world, she said.

And her lifework to make clear

What He knew about God and man

Has made Christ's words and works

Understandable for potent for me.



*Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder
                     of Christian Science
               

Doing As Jesus Did

Since one hundred percent obedient
Is what our Master had to be,
Making our own terms with God
Will never be allowed you and me.

Life shows us this:
Suffering almost always does.
But by whatever way we come
To learn to say (and mean)
"Do with my life what You think best,"
Only then do we know real joy,
Feel deep peace of mind,
Experience what Jesus taught and knew --
That our loving Father longs to see us
One hundred percent blest.

Day-by-day obedience
           Is the one,
                    Sure,
                         Way.

On Wings of Soul

                                             John Robert Howell



Demented by the worldly splendor of sin and
self,

Flapping feebly and frail-winged into the fearful
and illusory darkness,

The apocalyptic omen and harbinger of
Armageddon,

Icarus flew too near the baleful land stygian sun of
disobedience,

And fallen through the smutty lie of fleshly
limbs and ligaments,

Dropped broken and betrayed into the stale
demise

Of Adam's Eden, an earthy paradise gone
lightless and dreary.

Now new-baptized, heeding the beatifying
susrrus of angel whisperings--

Reborn under the ageless and eternal shadow of
Elohim's hand--

He soars anew on grace-full Love-feathered
wings of Soul.

Whose Strength?

        I recently overheard someone say, "Why do people pray to God for strength to get through a crisis when we have all we need within ourselves." Almost at once, the thought came, "Why would people not reach out to God for strength when challenges occur."

        Granted, many individuals may be able to cope with a great deal through their own "smarts".  But why go this way, when we all have an all-powerful Father who loves to help His children in every conceivable circumstance.  And paradoxically, you and I are never stronger than when we are leaning on Him and on the invigorating, sustaining influence of Christ.

        In the New Testament, Paul makes this striking statement:  "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  (Phil. 4:13)  All things.
Not anyone I've ever run across can top this.  Not relying on divine help 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 ncomparable strength Christ imparts.

        I would say to anyone tuning in this blog who is trying to deal with a crisis alone, why live another day this way?  Why--when looking to God as the continuous giver of strength, ability, and intelligence is so comforting?  Depending on our Father, God, is the obedient thing to do.  It glorifies Him.  And in turn, it empowers us to get through crises so much smoother than trying to do so by ourselves.

        Turning to God for strength brings into manifestation the qualities already ours as His spiritual offspring.  The result is increased mental sharpness, more creativity in solving our problems--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 strength.  "All that God imparts moves in accord with Him, reflecting goodness and power," writes Mary Baker Eddy.  (p. 515)

        Whatever we may face in day-to-day life that calls for a solution, God's power is ever at hand to provide it.  Habitually relying on Him for strength enables us to feel His loving presence more consistently.  And this is so wonderful that we may find ourselves thanking Him for those times that cause us to reach out for divine strength.