May Light

Carefree birds dart in and out of hedges,
Someone mows his lawn in the distance,
Cool breezes waft all around me.
Of all the May delights that confront me
As I sit here on stone garden bench
It's setting-sun rays that get me most --
Light shines on forest floor,
Light plays on trunks of trees,
Light glints off rusting wire fence
A farmer put in before we moved in.

But there's a thought much higher
Than enchanting light of earth --
It's something Christ Jesus once said:
"I am the light of the world:
He that followeth after me
Shall not walk in darkness,
But shall have the light of life."
               (John 8:12)

The beauty of this Light
Can never fade to black.
It's presence and its power
Followers of His can never lack.

A Feeling of Peace

        We have a lovely large painting of pale pink roses my husband's grandmother had.  Every time I look at it, it gives me such a feeling of peace.  Was the artist that calm when she painted it?  Something tangible almost seems to come through her work.

        It always calls to thought words of our Master, Christ Jesus who said:  "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:  not as the world giveth, give I unto you."  How many times in my life, when troubles would have overwhelmed me and taken my peace of mind, has this eternal promise  lifted me right up and restored my sense of joy and well-being.

         How can we ever thank God enough for giving us His Son, the Prince of Peace!

Going in a New Direction

Getting to the end of life's rope

Will drive some heavenward, it's true.

But why should one go that way to God?

There is a better way for all, for you,

Take the path Christ Jesus trod.

Above all else this one thing do --

Resolve to follow in Christ's steps.

With new hope it will your life imbue.

For by this route the wisest go,

Up and out of all life's woe.


To joy, freedom and salvation,

       Now and everlasting,

          It is the one,

                 The royal.

                         Way.

Living for Christ

        Glorious is the word for it.  Making Jesus' words the focus of all we think and do transcends all else in this life.  Am I suggesting that doing this, all challenges will suddenly cease.  In no way.  I would be remiss in all that I have written if it leads someone to think otherwise. There will be sharp struggles.  But our day-to-day experience becomes through Christ much more alive--happier, healthier, freer.  This is the way our heavenly Father wants it to be. And in the situations that once would have defeated us, we become the masters.

        The carnal mind's attacks on us take different forms.  One of the worst can be discouragement.  "Give up, it isn't worth it" comes to everyone of us at times. Awhile back a devoted Christian lady I know told me, "Discouragement had me down for the count, not sure I could get up and continue the fight. "Evil's attempts to shut down our work for our Master can leave many of us saying this.

        But you know what?  Christ came to the aid of my friend, just as always happens with every committed follower. And speaking personally, I have been brought out of opposition so intense it seemed I could not endure another moment.  And what caused this?  His power, of course, and Jesus plain-speaking on what we can expect as we go all out for Him.

        Our Savior always sees us through--no matter how rough the way.  Always. As Jesus promised. "Lo, I am with you alway"

God's Gift of Flowers

"How do you grow
Such beautiful flowers?"
My neighbors would ask
And I would say,
By feeding and watering?"
But now I come right and say,
To God goes all the credit.
As I have learned
From Christian Science,
It is God Himself
Who is the substance*
Of each and every
Lovely little flower."




*"Science and Health
    With key to the
         Scriptures"

By Mary Baker Eddy,
       (page 508)



    And as Jesus says,

"Consider the lilies of the field,
how they grow; they toil not
neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you,
That even Solomon in
all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these"

(Matthew 6:28, 29)





        

More on "Health without Drugs"

        The following words from Mary Baker Eddy regarding metaphysical healing might be of interest to those who have read the preceding blog.  From my own experience of studying and applying the divine truths of Christian Science over many years, I can say that turning to God for a restoration of health and well-being certainly gets results.

This is from "Miscellaneous Writings", pages 255 and 256 -

"Advantage of Mind-Healing

It is sometimes asked, What are the advantages of your system of healing?

I claim for healing by Christian Science the following advantages: -

First: It does away with material medicine, and recognizes the fact that the antidote for sickness, s well as for sin, may be found in God, the divine Mind.
Second: It is more effectual than drugs, and cures where they fail, because it is this divine antidote, and metaphysics is above physics.
Third: Persons who have been healed, by Christian Science are not only cured of their belief in disease, but they are at the same time improved morally. The body is governed by Mind, and mortal mind must be corrected in order to make the body harmonious."

Health Without Drugs

        A far too common problem these days is addition stemming from prescription drugs.   Many people might be interested to learn that there is a way to combat ill health and recover health without having to depend on medication. That way is the healing power of Christianity that Christ Jesus practiced.  His words, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32) point to the naturalness of healing from a purely metaphysical standpoint as he did. They point to unchanging divine law, which anyone can turn to with certainty.

        Through the study of Christian Science, one is helped to see what this healing truth is, the truth found in the Bible's pages.  There one learns that God is omnipotent and entirely good and that man is the image of God. As the likeness of his creator, man forever expresses the divine nature. And because God is Spirit, man is spiritual. To be sure, we appear to be merely flesh and bones and subject to suffering.  But physicality isn't the actual or ultimate substance of our being.  Life in the flesh is a misconception of man, whose real identity as the image of God is untouched by debilitating physical conditions.

        The growing understanding of man's spiritual nature has a purifying effect on the body. It awakens us to the ever presence of Christ, Truth--of the divine healing influence--and the body responds to this uplifting influence.  Health is then restored.

        Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered and founded Christian Science, writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "To ignore God as of little use in sickness is a mistake.  Instead of thrusting Him aside in times of bodily trouble, and waiting for the hour of strength in which to acknowledge Him, we should learn that He can do all things for us in sickness and in health." (p. 166)

        Spiritual healing in Christian Science is more than a recovery of health; it includes moral strengthening.  Turning to God in prayer and relying on Him for healing constitute the genuine Christian way of salvation.  This holy activity regenerates and purifies one's thought and life.

        We have a God-given right not only to enjoy sound health but to recover it through spiritual means when it is threatened.  Jesus has furnished us with a precedent, indicating that as we follow his example we can learn what God is and how to avail ourselves of His power.

        The Bible is full of assurances of God's healing help.  These are not empty promises.  They come to life for us in clear-cut healing when we are equipped with practical knowledge of God's eternal law of harmony and of our relationship to Him.  Empowered with the Christly understanding that study of Christian Science brings, we can turn to God for every aspect of our well-being, including health, proving to our own satisfaction and joy "The Lord will take away from thee all sickness." (Deuteronomy 7:15)