Just thinking, this September morning

In pondering how many people throughout the world are desperate for what only Christ can give, these two statements come to thought:

First, Jesus' command in Mark 16:15:  "Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

And from "Pulpit and Press", page 14 by Mary Baker Eddy:

"Millions of unprejudiced minds -- simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert -- are waiting and watching for rest and drink.  Give them a cup of cold water in Christ's name, and never fear the consequences,"

In order to carry out this holy endeavor, it is clear to me that we need God's help.  And He does open the way for us to obey Jesus' words, and give a "cup of cold water in Christ's name". Praying to be useful to Him and our fellow beings in this way is prayer that our heavenly Father answers, I have found. In often unimagined ways -- blessing mankind and us immeasurably.

Afflictions Sanctified

After God's chastening is over,

What then for us is left?

Many things, worth more than gold.

And crowning them all must be

The dawning, "He did what He did

Out of love for me."

Removing those things

That stand between us and Him

Can leave us feeling punished, bereft;

But when process divine has run its course

Is perfected, and at last is through,

What thoughts of praise and awe there are.

And we may even wonder,

Is this the way angels feel about You?

Don't Feel Overwhelmed

In telling his disciples about conditions that would come to pass, Christ Jesus spoke of "men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth" (Luke 21:26).

Many people these days, observing present world conditionals, may be ready to conclude that these days must surely be upon us. They feel afraid, overwhelmed. Many lose heart

This, however, is the thing one should not do when faced with disheartening circumstances.  When Jesus warned men of eventual upheaval, he also offered a way of escape.  "When these things begin to come to pass," he counseled, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" *Luke 21:28).

Our redemption or salvation from fear and deep discouragement can come as soon as we progress in our understanding of God' government of man and His universe.  To those in search of renewed hope and courage Christian Science offers this view of reality: man and the universe spiritually created. It shows one how to indeed look up, through enlightened prayer, to find God's ever-present, redeeming help  Through the study and application of Christian Science, countless individuals the word over have found that there is no problem too overwhelming for God to solve.

Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 390):  "It is our ignorance of God, the divine Principle, which produces apparent discord, and the right understanding of Him restores harmony."  Problems seem hopeless only if we think of man as separated from God, left to fend for himself in a material, somewhat mysterious universe controlled by amoral forces. But Christian Science teaches that man is spiritual, perfect, the expression of God, inseparable from God, loved by God, protected by God, secure in God.  And the same spiritual laws that empowered Jesus to heal and regenerate men are available to all mankind.

The basis of Jesus' unfailing ability to subdue difficulties of every description was his practical understanding of divine law, his consciousness of man's spiritual relationship to God.  God, good governs all things harmoniously, and the divine government is reflected in our daily lives.  When we realize that the divine Mind is continuously maintaining all in harmony and perfection, we can begin to see that there is no hopeless condition, no insoluble problem.

Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health" (p. 393):  "Be firm in your understanding that the divine Mind governs and that in Science man reflects God's government." A knowledge of this keeps hope and enthusiasm intact, lifted above distressing material conditions.  There is never any need to feel overwhelmed, for God, good, is the only reality.

Storms and God's Help

Several of our friends in Florida have been praying about the predicted hurricane and I know some of us here in Tennessee are doing the same.

For centuries, people who were afraid have turned to the Bible for God's help.  And it is God who gives the solid help we need when storms threaten. These spiritually powerful words from Paul is so comforting:  "I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38, 39)

The media gives much attention to weather disturbances that can create great fear and worry in people.  The physical senses tell us that we're subject to the natural elements around us, and that despite the precautions we may take, we are still potential victims of damaging weather conditions.  This may seem to be the case--and we can't be blasé about potentially destructive storms.  Still, there is no more reliable hep than God.  There is actually no other power.

I have learned through my study of Christian Science the truth that we neither we nor our dwellings are helpless victims of violence from the weather. As the man of God's creating, each of us governed
by God, the divine Mind, the only real source of power and activity. When we realize this fact with the conviction that comes of spiritual understanding, we and those we know can come through stormy conditions without fear or harm.

Mary Baker Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures", "The history of Christianity furnishes sublime proofs of the supporting influence and protecting power bestowed on man by His heavenly Father, omnipotent Mind, who gives man faith and understanding whereby to defend himself, not only from temptation, but from bodily suffering." (p. 387)

Whatever weather threatens one's well-being, it can be met through an understanding of man's oneness with God.  A spiritual understanding of this is extremely practical, as I  have found more than once through dire weather forecasts.  The spiritual truths brought out in the Holy Bible as well as the teachings of Christian Science can enable anyone to pass through storms with calmness and confidence that they're safe in God's love and care.

A Healing in Christian Science

From time to time I will post a healing from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures that can in inspire a reader who is unacquainted with its teachings about God's divine laws to investigate for himself or herself.  Many people through the years have done this, and found to their great joy wonderful healing for themselves and others.

On page 382 Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered and founded this religion and wrote this book writes:   "One whom I rescued from seeming spiritual oblivion in which the senses had engulfed him, wrote to me: 'I should have died, but for the glorious Principle you teach, -- supporting the power of Mind over the body and showing me the nothingness of the so-called pleasures and pains of sense. The treatises I had read and the medicines I had taken only abandoned me to more hopeless suffering and despair.  Adherence to hygiene was useless.  Mortal mind needed to be set right.  The ailment was not bodily, but mental, and I was cured when I learned my way in Christian Science.'"


     (As Christ Jesus said:  "Ye shall now the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

To Be Like a Child

The scene from my office window that day might be seen every day someplace in the world --a puppy jumping all over a delighted little boy.  So heartwarming was this encounter, it left a vivid impression on me. The sheer joy of living, the warmth and affection the child was radiating,reached right across the street to me.

Life's responsibilities were resting heavily on me at that time, and this tender exchange lifted me right up mentally.  And spiritually.

And it made me think of something Christ Jesus said to his disciples one day. They had come to him with the question of who should be greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Our Master called a little child to him and declared, "Verily, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."  (Matthew 18:3)

Since Jesus recommended childlikeness to us, and felt it to be of critical importance, we know it is a God-given requirement and it's for our own good. Such qualities as innocence, teachableness, trustfulness, and receptivity to good can be expressed by every of of us.

I have learned in my study and practice of Christian Science that man is, that we are, the reflection of God and that we have therefore all we need to be obedient to what He demands of us. We only need to recognize what our heavenly Father has already bestowed on us when He made us in His image. and put these qualities into daily living. You and I can be like a child and feel the freedom and joy that comes with this state of thought.

Jesus' Words on Fear

"Fear not," "Be not afraid,"
our Lord and Master taught.
Christ's divine Science helps us
do what Jesus said we ought.
For we are God's and have His Mind,
our thoughts from Him reflected.
Claiming and understanding this, we are
from harm and fear protected.
There is no fear in God
nor in His image, you and me.
Accepting this gospel truth,
we cannot help but see
truth do what Jesus said it would:

     Expose fear's reality,
         Strike off mental chains,
            Make us safe and oh so free!

Christ-informed, spiritually-enlightened,
we can have now rightful demonstration
of the fearlessness that belongs to all
as divine Mind's own manifestation.
For man is Mind-created and encompassed
       --held intact and dear--
and there is nothing in God's infinitude
for Mind's idea, man, to fear.