“Seek holy thoughts and heavenly strain, that makes
men one in Love remain.”1
This is from a favorite poem turned into a hymn.
At times when we sing poems we can get lost in the music and miss the message.
So yesterday at church while hearing this sung as our Solo, I wasn’t lost in my
croaky voice but listening to the healing words. When the soloist got to this
portion it made me think about it.
When we ask ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘why’, ‘how’, ‘what’,
we receive the messages from the Holy Ghost who knows all and does all. This asking is the seeking, the seeking of
holy thoughts and heavenly harmonious ways instead of my own.
So ‘when’ should I seek holy thoughts and heavenly
strain and remain in Love? The answer has to be today, everyday, always, right
now. If I am busy seeking holy thoughts instead of being confused and
overwhelmed by the business of the day. I can see a day filled with wisdom,
right ideas, helpful ways to handle each challenge. But if I think I’m too busy
to seek these holy thoughts from the higher One, God, than myself. By the end
of the day, when I look back, I might not see a day of success but a day filled
with mistakes and detours. Overtime if I keep leaving Wisdom, Intelligence, God
out of my thoughts and day, I am going to have a mess on my hands. The only way
out of all the twists and turns of multiple mistakes is to give our lives back
over to God who is Life, perfect Life.
Where? Everywhere
with everyone, at work, on the road, with our family, friends and foes (if we
think and believe we have them). “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us,
and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in
us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”2 By seeking His holy
thoughts wherever we are, whatever we are doing, we will find that Love is the
answer to all of our challenges and questions. Love leads us into the right
path. Truth, God, brings to us the answers that we need right where we think we
are in a challenge. To love one another and help each other is the standpoint
we should seek these holy thoughts. Not just for ourselves but for everyone
around us.
Why? Seeking holy thoughts makes me stop thinking
everything through from my lacking view point. Instead of my own ways, by
turning to God who is All-knowing, All-seeing, All-wise for every answer I am
being saved by His heavenly harmonious ways. No matter how small or intricate
things seem to be, God has the perfect thought that leads us to the right way
to do something, the Divine Way. By
seeking the ‘heavenly strain’ and remaining in love, our viewpoints bear patience,
consideration, divine influence, and kind thoughts.
This way of living and thinking makes us people
others seek out, because they trust that we are here to benefit them not to use
them. This heavenly strain is from a standpoint of loving ideas, thoughts and
guidance that not only bless us but bless others. To seek holy thoughts and
heavenly strain we are more attuned to God and His healing messages. This
brings us at one with God and our fellow man instead of at odds. It brings to
us a healing nature instead of competition or an angry disposition.
How? The best way I have found in this seeking of
holy thoughts is through humility. If I think I know everything and can do
every job I quickly can become unsuccessful, confused, and disappointed. But
through humility I find that my ways are lacking and God’s ways are perfect,
protective, loving. By loving God and
His ideas more than our own; by looking to Love, Truth, Life, God for all of
the answers we find more joy in our lives. When we seek God’s thoughts through
humility and meekness we find that our day and relationships harmonize. God’s
loving lead directs us through the chaos of our day and brings us peace through
His perfect answers to every problem.
“Cherish humility, ‘watch,’ and ‘pray without
ceasing’ or you will miss the way of Truth and Love. Humility is no busybody:
it has no moments for trafficking in other people’s business, no place for
envy, no time for idle words, vain amusements, and all that et cetera of the
ways and means of personal sense.”3
Truth and Love is God. ‘Personal sense’ is that voice in our heads that
gets us into mischief, trouble, discordant conditions. Why? Because it is the
voice of self-justification, self-centered, hurt feelings, egotism, and
self-love. It is the voice that makes us say and do things that later we
regret.
The last verse of this poem reads, “Fed by Thy love
divine we live, For Love alone is Life; And life most sweet, as heart to heart
speaks kindly when we meet and part.”4
Let us see the great gain in seeking holy thoughts
and heavenly strain. Let us be fed all the right ideas, directions, and
intelligence that we gain through living love and experiencing Life from this
higher standpoint of thought. Let us share these ideas and ways with those
around us. Let us feel our lives harmonize through this divine activity.
Gentle hugs
1 Christian Science Hymnal No. 30 vs. 2
2 The King James Version of the Holy Bible I John
4 vss. 12 (If we) and 13
3 Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy page
356 lines 30-3 following page
4 Christian Science Hymnal No. 30 vs. 5
Monday, April 29, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Testimony--God's all-inclusive Love
Today while driving around town and enjoying everything I was seeing I
viewed a couple baking in the sun holding up a sign for some kind of need. I
couldn't read the sign and I left the drive-thru parking lot with cold coke in
hand. All of a sudden an angel message said, "Go back and get them a drink
and some food." I am not rich monetarily, far from it. But I am rich in
Love and try very hard to be good at listening and being obedient. I made my
way back through the traffic, through the line, with soda and sack I turned the
corner to where the couple had been and they were gone.
One would be tempted to berate themselves as if they didn't 'hear right' or that they didn't pray right. But I wouldn't let my thoughts go there. I knew what I had heard and I had been instantly obedient to the original message. I kept praying about who then should I share this drink and food. I saw a few homeless but traffic or timing didn't allow me to be able to pass this food off to them. I drove and drove around. The usual homeless or needy had disappeared. There was no one to be found! It was if they had all gone to lunch.
I prayed even more when discouragement started setting in or thoughts of 'why'? Then I heard another angel message, "My Love is for everyone not just one or two that you can help out on an occasion. I am ever present, ever-loving, ever-caring Love who is here for everyone. Now enjoy your sandwich and fries."
About then my husband, who 'knows' me and knew what was going on, turned to me and asked, "Want a sandwich?" I immediately said, “Yes!” We shared the food. I enjoyed the thoughts of God's Love for all mankind a lot more than the food. I embraced everyone I saw the rest of the ride in God's precious Love for us all, including me.
It was a very dear lesson.
“Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals.”1
Today I got to let go of a finite sense of supply, a personal sense of me doing something to help God, as if He needed any help, and I got to see God’s all-inclusive Love wiping out all need of every sort.
“This human sense of Deity yields to the divine sense, even as the material sense of personality yields to the incorporeal sense of God and man as the infinite Principle and infinite idea—as one Father with His universal family, held in the gospel of Love.”2
I’m more than grateful for this view of God’s precious Love for all of His beloved Man.
“How gentle God's commands,
How kind His precepts are;
Come, cast your burdens on the Lord,
And trust His constant care.
Beneath His watchful eye
His saints securely dwell;
That hand which bears creation up
Shall guard His children well..”3
Gentle Hugs
1 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy page 13 line 2
2 ibid page 577 line 3
3 Christian Science Hymnal Hymn No. 124
One would be tempted to berate themselves as if they didn't 'hear right' or that they didn't pray right. But I wouldn't let my thoughts go there. I knew what I had heard and I had been instantly obedient to the original message. I kept praying about who then should I share this drink and food. I saw a few homeless but traffic or timing didn't allow me to be able to pass this food off to them. I drove and drove around. The usual homeless or needy had disappeared. There was no one to be found! It was if they had all gone to lunch.
I prayed even more when discouragement started setting in or thoughts of 'why'? Then I heard another angel message, "My Love is for everyone not just one or two that you can help out on an occasion. I am ever present, ever-loving, ever-caring Love who is here for everyone. Now enjoy your sandwich and fries."
About then my husband, who 'knows' me and knew what was going on, turned to me and asked, "Want a sandwich?" I immediately said, “Yes!” We shared the food. I enjoyed the thoughts of God's Love for all mankind a lot more than the food. I embraced everyone I saw the rest of the ride in God's precious Love for us all, including me.
It was a very dear lesson.
“Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals.”1
Today I got to let go of a finite sense of supply, a personal sense of me doing something to help God, as if He needed any help, and I got to see God’s all-inclusive Love wiping out all need of every sort.
“This human sense of Deity yields to the divine sense, even as the material sense of personality yields to the incorporeal sense of God and man as the infinite Principle and infinite idea—as one Father with His universal family, held in the gospel of Love.”2
I’m more than grateful for this view of God’s precious Love for all of His beloved Man.
“How gentle God's commands,
How kind His precepts are;
Come, cast your burdens on the Lord,
And trust His constant care.
Beneath His watchful eye
His saints securely dwell;
That hand which bears creation up
Shall guard His children well..”3
Gentle Hugs
1 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy page 13 line 2
2 ibid page 577 line 3
3 Christian Science Hymnal Hymn No. 124
Friday, April 26, 2013
Spiritual vision
When one looks to the Holy Bible to better understand
vision, we see that the word “Vision” is used 73 times. But the quotes are not based
upon one single component such as seeing a person, flower, or child, etc. No!
As we read the passages they reveal how multifaceted vision really is.
What we see and what is spiritually true can be polar opposites. What God sees and understands about any given thought and action He commands us to express; and what we think, want, and see can be very different. We need to learn how to separate our lacking view points from the way God has created and seen something correctly.
“Divine Science, rising above physical theories, excludes matter, resolves things into thoughts, and replaces the objects of material sense with spiritual ideas.”1
“Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul.”2
By looking at things and turning them into thoughts; by learning what we are viewing and how to deal with them spiritually, we are gaining more and more spiritual views. This clearer vision heals because it is the way God is seeing something instead of what we are assuming or believing about any given situation.
In feeding the multitudes Christ Jesus revealed to all mankind God’s ever-present power and Love. But to further the lesson he asked, “Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?”3
We need to wake up and understand that there is a bigger picture of Life and that is God. We need to turn to Him and let Him reveal to us a higher vision of thought and activity. Why? Because we were created to be His ‘witnesses’ and how can we do that if we keep being blinded to the Facts of His omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Being?
Open now our eyes to see,
As the clouds of sense are riven,
We behold reality,
Know the glory of Thy heaven;
So we seek Thy perfect healing
Through the Truth of Thy revealing.”4 85 vs. 2
Gentle Hug
1 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy page123 line 14
2 ibid page 269 line 15
3 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Mark 8 vss. 18-21
4 Christian Science Hymnal No. 85 vs. 2
As we look partially into the old testament we find the
following thoughts and headings concerning some different types of vision:
1.
Gen 15:1 as a
promise
2.
Numbers 12:6 as a revelation
3.
Numbers 24:4-8 an oracle
4.
II Samuel 7:17 information of future events
5.
Job 33:15 a
teaching tool
6.
Isaiah 1:1 a
prophesy
7.
Ezekiel 7:13 a blessing to many
8.
Ezekiel 11:24, 25 a warning
9.
Ezekial 12:24—a vanity or ego
Just to name a few.
In looking at these different
types of vision I’m reminded of the parable of the tares and the wheat. In the
process of separating the weeds from the wheat so the good kernels could be
garnered into the barn and the weed/tares could be bundled and burned. We can
see that this process has to be done with what we see and believe about almost
anything as well. What we see and what is spiritually true can be polar opposites. What God sees and understands about any given thought and action He commands us to express; and what we think, want, and see can be very different. We need to learn how to separate our lacking view points from the way God has created and seen something correctly.
“Divine Science, rising above physical theories, excludes matter, resolves things into thoughts, and replaces the objects of material sense with spiritual ideas.”1
“Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul.”2
By looking at things and turning them into thoughts; by learning what we are viewing and how to deal with them spiritually, we are gaining more and more spiritual views. This clearer vision heals because it is the way God is seeing something instead of what we are assuming or believing about any given situation.
In feeding the multitudes Christ Jesus revealed to all mankind God’s ever-present power and Love. But to further the lesson he asked, “Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?”3
We need to wake up and understand that there is a bigger picture of Life and that is God. We need to turn to Him and let Him reveal to us a higher vision of thought and activity. Why? Because we were created to be His ‘witnesses’ and how can we do that if we keep being blinded to the Facts of His omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Being?
Open now our eyes to see,
As the clouds of sense are riven,
We behold reality,
Know the glory of Thy heaven;
So we seek Thy perfect healing
Through the Truth of Thy revealing.”4 85 vs. 2
Gentle Hug
1 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy page123 line 14
2 ibid page 269 line 15
3 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Mark 8 vss. 18-21
4 Christian Science Hymnal No. 85 vs. 2
Thursday, April 25, 2013
God's Angels
“O longing hearts that wait on God
Through all the world so wide;
He knows the angels that you need,
And sends them to your side,
To
comfort, guard and guide.”1
Dear
hearts,
God knows us. His ever-presence is revealed to us by His angel visitants speaking of His constant love and care. If we are still and turn from the tumult of the media, the pressures of the finances, the loneliness of all our struggles, to Him the God of Love, we will see Life as it is all harmonious.
God knows us. His ever-presence is revealed to us by His angel visitants speaking of His constant love and care. If we are still and turn from the tumult of the media, the pressures of the finances, the loneliness of all our struggles, to Him the God of Love, we will see Life as it is all harmonious.
Christ
Jesus walked over the waves of the foaming sea, feed the multitudes without a ‘job’
or selling something, healed the sick, and raised the dead in direct opposition
of all the chaos and struggles of that time. He revealed to us ‘Immanuel—God with
us’2.
David
said in his Psalms, “For
he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall
bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”3
He
was speaking not only of Christ Jesus which the devil repeated tempting him
after his forty days of prayer and fasting, but to us all. He, God, gives us
His angels charge over us, to keep us in all our duties. The angels bear us up
in their power, lest we dash our foot against a wisdom or rule. We get to not
only be protected by these angelic communications from God. But we are also
taught lessons by them. Whenever we falter,
fight against one of God’s commands through admission or direct denial, His
angel messages turn us back to His ways, directing our paths back to His
constant progressive control.
Christ
Jesus showed time and time again the power that his/our Father does for all.
His healing nature, His protection, His constant love is for us all to witness
and prove.
The
revelation that God sends His angels to us constantly directing, guiding,
sheltering, tenderly tending to our every need is a power that would change our
lives if acknowledged.
Why
do we not hear or feel these angelic messages? It is because we have not
trained our thoughts to turn to Him, to listen for His direction. We think we ‘have
it covered’, that we can do it, take care of it, ‘figure it out’. But can
we? Look around, how are we doing? The
chaos, noise, tumult, fear, and anger that people are feeling reveals that we
aren’t doing it well on our own.
It
is like having the TV on and not seeing a weather alert because we have tuned
it out. Instead we have our ear buds in our ears listening to loud music
ignoring the warnings. We cannot hear the alerts unless we look up and see the
warning on the TV. How does this pertain to God and His healing messages? We
must remove all obstacles and turn our attention to God to hear, see, and to
know better. We must learn how to focus
on God alone. Then we will be as those in
the Bible who had a direct line of communication from God to man to turn to,
follow, and be saved by.
“O wake and hear the
angel-song
That bids all discord cease,From pain and sorrow, doubt and fear,
It brings us sweet release;
And so our hearts find peace.”4
Let
us awaken to the realization that God is with us every step of every day. He
bids all discord to cease, all pain, sorrow, doubt, and fear. He brings to us
all sweet release from these and all burdens. We find our peace in His Love and
He in turns sends His angels to bear us up at all times revealing to us His
tender constant care.
Gentle
hugs
1 Christian Science Hymnal Hymn No. 9 vs. 3
2 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy page xi line 16
3The King James Version of the Holy Bible Psalms 11 vss. 11, 12
4 Christian Science Hymnal Hymn No. 9 vs. 4
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Worth, Value, is based on expression not possession
Do we ever feel that our value,
self-worth seems very much lacking? Do we ever feel worthless? Then what are we
basing our worth on? Is it human success, possessions, bank accounts, number of
friends, our social calendar? Or are we seeing a higher sense of worth and
value?
In looking up the word “Worth” the definition that jumped out at me was “Value; that quality of a thing which renders it useful, or which will produce an equivalent good in some other thing.”
In looking at this I loved the idea that worth and value are based upon qualities that render themselves as useful! The only qualities that we know that does this are spiritual qualities from God. God’s qualities such as goodness, tenderness, compassion, love, gentleness, forgiveness, consideration, thoughtfulness all can be rendered as very useful in our day to day experience. They ‘produce an equivalent of good in other things.’ These qualities bring out the good we express with others and how we see ourselves. The more we use these qualities by expressing them the more value we can see about ourselves and others!
In studying a Proverb we read, “The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.”1
To me this helps begin the process of today’s work…’the tongue of the ‘just’ is as choice silver’.
This tongue can not only be the one we use towards others outwardly while speaking. But it also can be used against ourselves and others inwardly in our thinking. How important if we want to be just and as ‘choice sliver’ worthwhile and valuable, that this inward tongue be gracious, loving, kind, forgiving and not egotistical, comparing, competitive! How important it is for us to feel valuable and then to think and speak what is spiritually worthy.
The above quote from Proverbs includes: “The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”2
The qualities God renders as useful to us are never based upon material things, people, places, jobs. These all come and go. What He counts as worthy, worthwhile, are the qualities He created for each of us to express and entertain. Qualities such as kindness, patience, grace have nothing to do with possessions or human success. He sees our value and worth as spiritual. If we are to feel and see our own worth as very valuable we must base our worth on what God has created us to be.
If we do not feel very valuable, then what are we weighing in the balances of our own self-worth? What are we putting into our day’s activities that would register a value? Is the higher percentage of our actions and thoughts based upon ill-will, envy, anger, resentment, competition, stepping on our fellow man to gain some better position, self-justification? Or are our thoughts of a sweeter nature, such as being and expressing goodness, happiness for others, patience, understanding, forgiveness? Is this poly-annaism? NO! It is seeing that our worthless feelings or our feeling of value is based upon our actions towards others and our thoughts about ourselves.
“All that is worth reckoning is what we do, and the best of everything is not too good, but is economy and riches.”3
“Happiness consists in being and doing good; only what God gives, and what we give ourselves and others through His tenure, confers happiness; conscious worth satisfies the hungry heart, and nothing else can.”4
When we are putting our own self-worth in the scales and balances of this thought, ‘happiness consists in being and doing good’ then the ‘qualities rendered as useful’ is based upon sharing happiness and giving to ourselves and others ‘His tenure’.
Are we valuing ourselves based upon things we have or the qualities we are expressing? Are we expressing love or hatred, resentment, anger, hurt feelings or patience, understanding, forgiveness? The qualities that we are rendering if they are to be ‘useful’ have to be good. This makes us feel happy and worth a lot more.
Let us make sure that our self-worth is based upon the righteousness of God’s Goodness and that we express and embrace this Love. For the Proverbs continues and ends with, “The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.”5
Our worth is spiritual made up of the nature and qualities of God and His supreme righteousness, the qualities He created us to express. This is true worth.
Gentle hugs
1 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Proverbs 10 vs. 20
2 ibid Proverbs 10 vss. 21, 22
3 Miscellany Writings by Mary Baker Eddy page 203 line 10
4 Message to The First Church of Christ, Scientists, 1902 by Mary Baker Eddy page 17 line 24
5 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Proverbs 10 vss. 28-32
In looking up the word “Worth” the definition that jumped out at me was “Value; that quality of a thing which renders it useful, or which will produce an equivalent good in some other thing.”
In looking at this I loved the idea that worth and value are based upon qualities that render themselves as useful! The only qualities that we know that does this are spiritual qualities from God. God’s qualities such as goodness, tenderness, compassion, love, gentleness, forgiveness, consideration, thoughtfulness all can be rendered as very useful in our day to day experience. They ‘produce an equivalent of good in other things.’ These qualities bring out the good we express with others and how we see ourselves. The more we use these qualities by expressing them the more value we can see about ourselves and others!
In studying a Proverb we read, “The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.”1
To me this helps begin the process of today’s work…’the tongue of the ‘just’ is as choice silver’.
This tongue can not only be the one we use towards others outwardly while speaking. But it also can be used against ourselves and others inwardly in our thinking. How important if we want to be just and as ‘choice sliver’ worthwhile and valuable, that this inward tongue be gracious, loving, kind, forgiving and not egotistical, comparing, competitive! How important it is for us to feel valuable and then to think and speak what is spiritually worthy.
The above quote from Proverbs includes: “The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”2
The qualities God renders as useful to us are never based upon material things, people, places, jobs. These all come and go. What He counts as worthy, worthwhile, are the qualities He created for each of us to express and entertain. Qualities such as kindness, patience, grace have nothing to do with possessions or human success. He sees our value and worth as spiritual. If we are to feel and see our own worth as very valuable we must base our worth on what God has created us to be.
If we do not feel very valuable, then what are we weighing in the balances of our own self-worth? What are we putting into our day’s activities that would register a value? Is the higher percentage of our actions and thoughts based upon ill-will, envy, anger, resentment, competition, stepping on our fellow man to gain some better position, self-justification? Or are our thoughts of a sweeter nature, such as being and expressing goodness, happiness for others, patience, understanding, forgiveness? Is this poly-annaism? NO! It is seeing that our worthless feelings or our feeling of value is based upon our actions towards others and our thoughts about ourselves.
“All that is worth reckoning is what we do, and the best of everything is not too good, but is economy and riches.”3
“Happiness consists in being and doing good; only what God gives, and what we give ourselves and others through His tenure, confers happiness; conscious worth satisfies the hungry heart, and nothing else can.”4
When we are putting our own self-worth in the scales and balances of this thought, ‘happiness consists in being and doing good’ then the ‘qualities rendered as useful’ is based upon sharing happiness and giving to ourselves and others ‘His tenure’.
Are we valuing ourselves based upon things we have or the qualities we are expressing? Are we expressing love or hatred, resentment, anger, hurt feelings or patience, understanding, forgiveness? The qualities that we are rendering if they are to be ‘useful’ have to be good. This makes us feel happy and worth a lot more.
Let us make sure that our self-worth is based upon the righteousness of God’s Goodness and that we express and embrace this Love. For the Proverbs continues and ends with, “The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.”5
Our worth is spiritual made up of the nature and qualities of God and His supreme righteousness, the qualities He created us to express. This is true worth.
Gentle hugs
1 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Proverbs 10 vs. 20
2 ibid Proverbs 10 vss. 21, 22
3 Miscellany Writings by Mary Baker Eddy page 203 line 10
4 Message to The First Church of Christ, Scientists, 1902 by Mary Baker Eddy page 17 line 24
5 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Proverbs 10 vss. 28-32
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
God is here
Do
we ever feel that the waves of life just keep bowling us over into a tidal wave
of emotions, fear, and doubt? God is here. Do we ever feel that we live through
a maze of problems? God is here. Do we ever feel so alone that we wonder if
anyone would miss us if we were gone? God is here. Do we ever feel so abused
that we feel like we aren’t worth the dirt we stand on? God is here.
It
is said, “He maketh the storm a
calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be
quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise
the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let
them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the
assembly of the elders.”1When we think of life as a storm, sometimes very dark and violent, then we turn to Him who, “maketh the storm a calm…” Doesn’t this show the powerful nature of God’s Goodness? One who can still all storms? What would happen if we turned our lives over to Love, God, more consistently? He is here watching over us. He is waiting for us to realize His ever-presence. What would happen if we persistently changed our views from the dark and dismal to hope and faith?
When we are consistent and persistent in our turning to God’s ever-presence His angel messages reveal to us the answers that we need. When we follow and obey these messages we are lead out of the very situations that seem so upsetting to us. When we realize that God is here, doing all every moment of every day, our lives become more consistently peaceful. The dramas that seem to continually occur harmonize. With this the dramas disappear and our lives become less agitated, less stormy.
When a storm is calmed, the clouds disperse, and the sun shines, where did the storm go? It is like this when we turn to God who is Life, Truth and Love. The storms in our lives are stilled, the pretenses, reasons, fears disperse. We feel the calm and warmth of peace. Thought is changed from the dismal to the light of understanding that God is in constant control. We feel and know that God is here. Our lives become more fulfilled. A sense of peace comes with the realization that we are not alone. We feel a sense of worth in His Love for us. It becomes a part of our renewed sense of a brighter day.
“For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall…he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”2
In Christian Science we read in our textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, “Sorrow has its reward. It never leaves us where it found us. The furnace separates the gold from the dross that the precious metal may be graven with the image of God. The cup our Father hath given, shall we not drink it and learn the lessons He teaches? When the ocean is stirred by a storm, then the clouds lower, the wind shrieks through the tightened shrouds, and the waves lift themselves into mountains. We ask the helmsman: "Do you know your course? Can you steer safely amid the storm?" He answers bravely, but even the dauntless seaman is not sure of his safety; nautical science is not equal to the Science of Mind. Yet, acting up to his highest understanding, firm at the post of duty, the mariner works on and awaits the issue. Thus should we deport ourselves on the seething ocean of sorrow. Hoping and working, one should stick to the wreck, until an irresistible propulsion precipitates his doom or sunshine gladdens the troubled sea.”3
Let us let God still our storms in this life. God is here. He is revealing His power to us. He is guiding our lives and revealing His purpose and plan.
Gentle hug
1 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Psalms 107 vs.29-32
2 ibid Isaiah 25 vss. 4, 7-9
3 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy pg 66 lines 29-7 following page
Monday, April 22, 2013
Prayer and concern for all
The Mayor of
Boston answered the question concerning the condition of the bombing suspect, “Who
cares?”
We are taught that we must pray for everyone. Not just the ‘deserving’, but everyone.
Christ Jesus, when asked why he sat with Publicans and sinners, stated, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”1
We need to see that as examples of the Christ we must care. To have great compassion for all of the people who have endured this heinous act, must include this young man, his brother, and their family. They were lead into temptation to be a part of this horrific act. But to exclude him from our prayers doesn’t serve our higher purpose.
It is hard at first to think of including ‘perpetrators of evil’ in our prayers. But over time it becomes natural. It is in our loving and compassionate nature. It is our duty. In the long run, through meekness, sincerity, and obedience, it becomes a part of our joy to serve ALL mankind. We do not actually get to pick and choose who deserves prayer.
What would happen if, as shocked as this young man’s uncle is, it was a family member of ours? Impossible? That is what this family was thinking as well. Wouldn’t we want to be included in the healing prayers of the Christ? Wouldn’t we want to be embraced by the ever forgiving Love of God?
We may not see this occur in this young man, yet,…but we might. Look at the example of Saul who crucified Christians. He took them into captivity, abused them…he then was turned into Paul for God’s use to be a huge spiritual leader in the Christ activity later.
The answers to our prayers must come from a deeper study concerning God’s love. If God had favorites then God’s Love would be on the same platform as bad human parenting. If God loves one more than the other, then almost everyone in the Bible from Adam to Paul would have been condemned and pushed far away from Him. We all know what Adam did to get kicked out of the Garden of Eden (but that was for his own ‘protection’ according to the Jehovah God). Abram before and after his name change to Abraham had his wife lie. He had her say that she was his sister to save his life. But this just about got other men in terrible trouble. Moses killed a man prior to leading the Israelites out of bondage. David had a husband killed in battle so he could have the man’s wife. Jonas didn’t obey and spent time in a whales belly…Saul became the “vessel”2 of God even after he killed and took into captivity the very people that he later became, a Christian. His life turned from accuser to preaching and converting others to, Christianity.
In meekness we too can pray and serve this Higher Purpose who sees no iniquity in any of us. It is our duty our privilege, to serve this all-inclusive Love, who excludes no one and loves all. Some things we are taught and we must follow that may not always be very easy. But each command is important, imperative.
The sixth tenet in Christian Science is, “And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just and pure.”4
Let us do this always. Let us do it without personal judgment or simulation. Let us love Love enough to be ever vigilant and obedient. When we learn “Love thy neighbor as thy self” AND “Do unto others as you would have them do unto us” there are no clauses to who may be excluded.
"As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways:"5
Gentle hug
1 The King James Version of the Bible Matthew 9 vss. 12 (They), 13
2 ibid Acts 9 vs. 15
3 ibid Habakkuk 1 vss. 1-3 and 11-13
4 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy 497 line 26
5 The King James Version of the Bible Ezekiel 33 vs 11 (As; to second ;)
I care…
We are taught that we must pray for everyone. Not just the ‘deserving’, but everyone.
Christ Jesus, when asked why he sat with Publicans and sinners, stated, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”1
We need to see that as examples of the Christ we must care. To have great compassion for all of the people who have endured this heinous act, must include this young man, his brother, and their family. They were lead into temptation to be a part of this horrific act. But to exclude him from our prayers doesn’t serve our higher purpose.
It is hard at first to think of including ‘perpetrators of evil’ in our prayers. But over time it becomes natural. It is in our loving and compassionate nature. It is our duty. In the long run, through meekness, sincerity, and obedience, it becomes a part of our joy to serve ALL mankind. We do not actually get to pick and choose who deserves prayer.
What would happen if, as shocked as this young man’s uncle is, it was a family member of ours? Impossible? That is what this family was thinking as well. Wouldn’t we want to be included in the healing prayers of the Christ? Wouldn’t we want to be embraced by the ever forgiving Love of God?
In praying this week about this issue
the question came to me, “Does God love Jesus more than Judas?” At first the
natural thought was, ‘Yes.’ But then I stopped to think about Habakkuk, in the
Old Testament of the King James Version of the Holy Bible. It reads, “The burden of Habakkuk the prophet
did see. O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out
unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! …Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass
over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god. Art thou not from
everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, thou has
ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou has established them for
correction. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on
iniquity:…”3
At first Habakkuk thought that all evil
was being seen and agreed with by God. This was upsetting to him until his
understanding changed. Then he realized that God is of ‘purer eyes than to
behold evil’ and doesn’t “look on iniquity”. This revealed to me that God sees all
of His idea, Man (and Woman), beloved, cared for, lifted above all wrongs and
evils, to His standpoint of thought and action. We may not see this occur in this young man, yet,…but we might. Look at the example of Saul who crucified Christians. He took them into captivity, abused them…he then was turned into Paul for God’s use to be a huge spiritual leader in the Christ activity later.
The answers to our prayers must come from a deeper study concerning God’s love. If God had favorites then God’s Love would be on the same platform as bad human parenting. If God loves one more than the other, then almost everyone in the Bible from Adam to Paul would have been condemned and pushed far away from Him. We all know what Adam did to get kicked out of the Garden of Eden (but that was for his own ‘protection’ according to the Jehovah God). Abram before and after his name change to Abraham had his wife lie. He had her say that she was his sister to save his life. But this just about got other men in terrible trouble. Moses killed a man prior to leading the Israelites out of bondage. David had a husband killed in battle so he could have the man’s wife. Jonas didn’t obey and spent time in a whales belly…Saul became the “vessel”2 of God even after he killed and took into captivity the very people that he later became, a Christian. His life turned from accuser to preaching and converting others to, Christianity.
In meekness we too can pray and serve this Higher Purpose who sees no iniquity in any of us. It is our duty our privilege, to serve this all-inclusive Love, who excludes no one and loves all. Some things we are taught and we must follow that may not always be very easy. But each command is important, imperative.
The sixth tenet in Christian Science is, “And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just and pure.”4
Let us do this always. Let us do it without personal judgment or simulation. Let us love Love enough to be ever vigilant and obedient. When we learn “Love thy neighbor as thy self” AND “Do unto others as you would have them do unto us” there are no clauses to who may be excluded.
1 The King James Version of the Bible Matthew 9 vss. 12 (They), 13
2 ibid Acts 9 vs. 15
3 ibid Habakkuk 1 vss. 1-3 and 11-13
4 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy 497 line 26
5 The King James Version of the Bible Ezekiel 33 vs 11 (As; to second ;)
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Confidence
When we place our confidence in personal
ability what happens when we fail something miserably? Or worse yet, what
happens if we succeed and receive huge accolades and rewards? Confidence placed
in our own abilities or others, is a “reed shaken in the water…provoking the
Lord to anger”1? Confidence in anything other than God, Mind, who is
the perfect intelligence, is the farthest thing from wisdom. Confidence cannot be based upon personal
accomplishments, they come and go. Our
confidence has to come from a higher trust, from an infinite source of Well
Being. Otherwise we are basing confidence upon ego, other people, or things
that can be taken away or destroyed. It
is dicey at best when we have this type of confidence. Everything of this world
can be shaken, lost, or let us down.
The true and only Ego is Mind, God. The perfect One isn’t persons, places, or things it is Divine Mind, the all-intelligence of all true Being.
We must learn how to turn to the precious source of all Good, God. Our peace and confidence through meekness, quietness, love, and wisdom, depends upon this All-knowing Mind. We gain dominion and power unlike anything else through His wisdom and intelligence. God never lets us down, never lets us go, and never leaves us.
We may start out by saying, “Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word. Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?”2 But this is based upon unproven hope and a shaky trust. What we need is trials and witnessing of His ever-present care. This gains for us confidence that there is nothing impossible to God or His wisdom and perfect Being.
As we consistently and persistently turn to Love, Mind, God, we begin to feel that His ever-presence lifts us above everything. We begin to have a confidence that strengthens us in all His ways. We begin to see that the first step to everything must begin, fully stride through, and finish with Mind, God. His strength and intelligence will guide us perfectly every time.
Then we too will be able to say, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”3
Confidence is spiritual it isn’t in nor from a mortal selfhood, place, or thing. Confidence is spiritual power through the knowledge of who and what is doing all and is All-in-all. Confidence through God, Mind, is peace and well-being. Confidence in the Highest Power is intelligence. When we turn from the false sense of personal trust to the Divine we are placing our lives on firmer foundations.
We can breathe easier knowing that God’s perfect ways are in control of our lives. We can never be ashamed of this perfect confidence in the Perfect Mind.
Be at peace by turning your whole thought and activity over to God.
“Place on the Lord reliance;
My heart, with courage wait;
His truth be thine affiance,
When faint and desolate:
His might thy heart shall strengthen,
His love thy joy increase;
Thy day shall mercy lengthen:
The Lord will give thee peace.”4
Gentle hug
1 The King James Version of the Holy Bible I Kings 14 vs. 15
2 ibid Psalms 119 vss. 80-82
3 ibid I John 5 vss. 14, 15
4 Christian Science Hymnal No. 77 vs. 2
The true and only Ego is Mind, God. The perfect One isn’t persons, places, or things it is Divine Mind, the all-intelligence of all true Being.
We must learn how to turn to the precious source of all Good, God. Our peace and confidence through meekness, quietness, love, and wisdom, depends upon this All-knowing Mind. We gain dominion and power unlike anything else through His wisdom and intelligence. God never lets us down, never lets us go, and never leaves us.
We may start out by saying, “Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word. Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?”2 But this is based upon unproven hope and a shaky trust. What we need is trials and witnessing of His ever-present care. This gains for us confidence that there is nothing impossible to God or His wisdom and perfect Being.
As we consistently and persistently turn to Love, Mind, God, we begin to feel that His ever-presence lifts us above everything. We begin to have a confidence that strengthens us in all His ways. We begin to see that the first step to everything must begin, fully stride through, and finish with Mind, God. His strength and intelligence will guide us perfectly every time.
Then we too will be able to say, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”3
Confidence is spiritual it isn’t in nor from a mortal selfhood, place, or thing. Confidence is spiritual power through the knowledge of who and what is doing all and is All-in-all. Confidence through God, Mind, is peace and well-being. Confidence in the Highest Power is intelligence. When we turn from the false sense of personal trust to the Divine we are placing our lives on firmer foundations.
We can breathe easier knowing that God’s perfect ways are in control of our lives. We can never be ashamed of this perfect confidence in the Perfect Mind.
Be at peace by turning your whole thought and activity over to God.
“Place on the Lord reliance;
My heart, with courage wait;
His truth be thine affiance,
When faint and desolate:
His might thy heart shall strengthen,
His love thy joy increase;
Thy day shall mercy lengthen:
The Lord will give thee peace.”4
Gentle hug
1 The King James Version of the Holy Bible I Kings 14 vs. 15
2 ibid Psalms 119 vss. 80-82
3 ibid I John 5 vss. 14, 15
4 Christian Science Hymnal No. 77 vs. 2
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Blessings...
In working on this blog today the quote,
“To those leaning on the sustaining infinite to-day is big with blessings,”1
came to my thought.
The face value and powerful truth of this quote is very clear. Those of us who are leaning on God today, the day is filled with big blessings. But there was a time when I didn’t go to church, didn’t read my church books, didn’t pay any attention to God’s presence. I knew I should. But it was just a passing thought. I was young and wanted to live my life my way without any interference with ‘that religious stuff’. I knew when I got older that I would go back. But I thought I was fine going along in my own way. Was I still sustained in infinite blessings then? Yes.
How can I say this, ‘Yes’ with certainty? The mortal appearances looked pretty unblessed. My marriage wasn’t with my best friend. Frustrations and disappointments were my constant companions as I strived to be free from religion. Finally the years of not practicing prayer brought me down to my knees. I was proving the biblical quote, “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”2
This is a profound statement from David in his Psalms. It is a promise to me/us. It is stating that no matter where we have placed ourselves God is still with us. This is why we can say that God is still sustaining us in infinite blessings. The only thing is we may not know it, feel it, acknowledge it. Perhaps we are missing the blessings daily, instead of feeling embraced by them. Why? We aren’t looking to God, who is giving us these infinite blessings. They are all around us but we are oblivious to them.
The best example of this would be like inheriting millions of dollars. The money is an account with our name on it. But because we do not know that it is available to us we do not go get it. We could be feeling very poor. But are we poor? No. We just do not know that we are rich. What happens when we find out? Our perspective changes, right?
So here we are with this statement, “To those leaning on the sustaining infinite to-day is big with blessings.” What is it requiring of us? To lean on God every day and then see that each day is big, full, fulfilled, with blessings, spiritual happiness, heavenly felicity.
What if our days are not looking all that ‘happy’? Has He, God, Love, left us? No! It is we that are basing happiness upon mortal, temporal scales instead of turning our thought upward to spiritual happiness, blessed activities, fulfilled heavenly lives.
“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”3 The riches that we look for in houses, cars, friends, spouses, careers, do they add no ‘sorrow with it’ at times? No they are usually not satisfactory in some way or the other. Then we are seeking from the standpoint of mortal material goals, not spiritual attainments.
It is so important, if we wish to have true success, happiness, fulfillment, that we turn to God who is all Good. Love Him more than the false pretenses of this life. Obey Him diligently, giving to Him all of our attention instead of the things that are so fleeting. Houses get lost to banks or burn down. Spouses come and go. Jobs change, some are great others are dismal failures. Children come into our lives, grow up, and leave. The things of this world isn’t solid, they are like trying to hold water in our hands.
We cannot look at the mortal to weigh the divine in our lives. This would be like baking a cake and then checking on it by looking into the refrigerator instead of the oven. To see what God is giving to us, blessing us with, we must look through our spiritual senses instead of our mortal beliefs. We must look to see where we are in purity, selflessness, glorifying His will, ways, and means. We must look to Him and obey His word, voice, direction. We must make sure that we are living lives that best example the Christ. Why? Because then we will see that “to-day is big with blessings”.
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”4
If we want a solid sense of happiness, joy, blessed lives, confident direction, we have to “lean on the sustaining infinite”. This will bring to us the ‘big with blessings’ in our daily lives we truly yearn for and should seek after.
Gentle hug
1 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy vii:1-2
2 The King James Version of the Bible Psalms 139:8-10
3 ibid Proverbs 10 vs. 22
4 ibid Malachi 3 vs. 10
The face value and powerful truth of this quote is very clear. Those of us who are leaning on God today, the day is filled with big blessings. But there was a time when I didn’t go to church, didn’t read my church books, didn’t pay any attention to God’s presence. I knew I should. But it was just a passing thought. I was young and wanted to live my life my way without any interference with ‘that religious stuff’. I knew when I got older that I would go back. But I thought I was fine going along in my own way. Was I still sustained in infinite blessings then? Yes.
How can I say this, ‘Yes’ with certainty? The mortal appearances looked pretty unblessed. My marriage wasn’t with my best friend. Frustrations and disappointments were my constant companions as I strived to be free from religion. Finally the years of not practicing prayer brought me down to my knees. I was proving the biblical quote, “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”2
This is a profound statement from David in his Psalms. It is a promise to me/us. It is stating that no matter where we have placed ourselves God is still with us. This is why we can say that God is still sustaining us in infinite blessings. The only thing is we may not know it, feel it, acknowledge it. Perhaps we are missing the blessings daily, instead of feeling embraced by them. Why? We aren’t looking to God, who is giving us these infinite blessings. They are all around us but we are oblivious to them.
The best example of this would be like inheriting millions of dollars. The money is an account with our name on it. But because we do not know that it is available to us we do not go get it. We could be feeling very poor. But are we poor? No. We just do not know that we are rich. What happens when we find out? Our perspective changes, right?
So here we are with this statement, “To those leaning on the sustaining infinite to-day is big with blessings.” What is it requiring of us? To lean on God every day and then see that each day is big, full, fulfilled, with blessings, spiritual happiness, heavenly felicity.
What if our days are not looking all that ‘happy’? Has He, God, Love, left us? No! It is we that are basing happiness upon mortal, temporal scales instead of turning our thought upward to spiritual happiness, blessed activities, fulfilled heavenly lives.
“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”3 The riches that we look for in houses, cars, friends, spouses, careers, do they add no ‘sorrow with it’ at times? No they are usually not satisfactory in some way or the other. Then we are seeking from the standpoint of mortal material goals, not spiritual attainments.
It is so important, if we wish to have true success, happiness, fulfillment, that we turn to God who is all Good. Love Him more than the false pretenses of this life. Obey Him diligently, giving to Him all of our attention instead of the things that are so fleeting. Houses get lost to banks or burn down. Spouses come and go. Jobs change, some are great others are dismal failures. Children come into our lives, grow up, and leave. The things of this world isn’t solid, they are like trying to hold water in our hands.
We cannot look at the mortal to weigh the divine in our lives. This would be like baking a cake and then checking on it by looking into the refrigerator instead of the oven. To see what God is giving to us, blessing us with, we must look through our spiritual senses instead of our mortal beliefs. We must look to see where we are in purity, selflessness, glorifying His will, ways, and means. We must look to Him and obey His word, voice, direction. We must make sure that we are living lives that best example the Christ. Why? Because then we will see that “to-day is big with blessings”.
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”4
If we want a solid sense of happiness, joy, blessed lives, confident direction, we have to “lean on the sustaining infinite”. This will bring to us the ‘big with blessings’ in our daily lives we truly yearn for and should seek after.
Gentle hug
1 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy vii:1-2
2 The King James Version of the Bible Psalms 139:8-10
3 ibid Proverbs 10 vs. 22
4 ibid Malachi 3 vs. 10
Thursday, April 18, 2013
God's government...the Reign of Peace
God’s government is perfect. God’s government is omnipotent. God’s government is all-inclusive Love. God’s
government is the outline and purpose of the perfect and only divine Mind. Why does man think that there should be any
other governing power or force? Has this
proven to be successful?
It is said, “unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”1
We are taught in Christian Science that “Man is properly self-governed only when he is guided rightly and governed by his Maker, divine Truth and Love. Man's rights are invaded when the divine order is interfered with, and the mental trespasser incurs the divine penalty due this crime.”2
When we place our reliance upon people, groups, entities, leaving God out of the government and out of our lives what we have is a reign of personal opinions and possibly a reign of terror. But when we base our lives, our government, our countries upon the will of God and His perfect Law and Order we live in Peace.
Christ Jesus stated, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”3
What and where is this ‘kingdom of heaven’? It is within us. It is the reign and rule of God. It is the Love and Peace and governing force that is in all through the Christ. It is harmonious being without contention, opinion, selfish ambition. It is the consciousness within each one of us that directs us towards all Good. It is the childlike love, compassion, grace and kindness that we each were created to express. It is the ‘…the realm of unerring, eternal, and omnipotent Mind; the atmosphere of Spirit, where Soul is supreme.’4
When we stop trying to do things our way, which is so much drivel of chaos, loss, and ignorance and start turning to the reign of the All-knowing, All-wise God we will have lives of harmonious being. WE will be the people of God. We will be at one with Him and at one with each other. WE will have Peace.
What more could we want? For the riches and tyranny of this world isn’t leading us into harmony further from it. God is Love. God is here. God is ever available. In the realization that what we all need and have, is God in our lives. We will be made better for it.
“Let us learn of the real and eternal, and prepare for the reign of Spirit, the kingdom of heaven,—the reign and rule of universal harmony, which cannot be lost nor remain forever unseen.”5
Gentle hug
1The King James Version of the Holy Bible Isaiah 9:6,7
2 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy page 106 lines 9-14
3The King James Version of the Holy Bible Matthew 5 vss. 17-19
4 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy page 590 lines 2-3 [Part of the definition of the “Kingdom of Heaven.”]
5 ibid page 208 line 20-24
It is said, “unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”1
We are taught in Christian Science that “Man is properly self-governed only when he is guided rightly and governed by his Maker, divine Truth and Love. Man's rights are invaded when the divine order is interfered with, and the mental trespasser incurs the divine penalty due this crime.”2
When we place our reliance upon people, groups, entities, leaving God out of the government and out of our lives what we have is a reign of personal opinions and possibly a reign of terror. But when we base our lives, our government, our countries upon the will of God and His perfect Law and Order we live in Peace.
Christ Jesus stated, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”3
What and where is this ‘kingdom of heaven’? It is within us. It is the reign and rule of God. It is the Love and Peace and governing force that is in all through the Christ. It is harmonious being without contention, opinion, selfish ambition. It is the consciousness within each one of us that directs us towards all Good. It is the childlike love, compassion, grace and kindness that we each were created to express. It is the ‘…the realm of unerring, eternal, and omnipotent Mind; the atmosphere of Spirit, where Soul is supreme.’4
When we stop trying to do things our way, which is so much drivel of chaos, loss, and ignorance and start turning to the reign of the All-knowing, All-wise God we will have lives of harmonious being. WE will be the people of God. We will be at one with Him and at one with each other. WE will have Peace.
What more could we want? For the riches and tyranny of this world isn’t leading us into harmony further from it. God is Love. God is here. God is ever available. In the realization that what we all need and have, is God in our lives. We will be made better for it.
“Let us learn of the real and eternal, and prepare for the reign of Spirit, the kingdom of heaven,—the reign and rule of universal harmony, which cannot be lost nor remain forever unseen.”5
Gentle hug
1The King James Version of the Holy Bible Isaiah 9:6,7
2 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy page 106 lines 9-14
3The King James Version of the Holy Bible Matthew 5 vss. 17-19
4 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy page 590 lines 2-3 [Part of the definition of the “Kingdom of Heaven.”]
5 ibid page 208 line 20-24
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Terrorized or Free?
Terrorism is based upon extreme
fear. It plays against people’s deepest
fears and concerns for their own and their families well being. It tries to paralyze governments, people, and
activities. IF it could it would have everyone bow down to it, turning life
from freedom to bondage.
The opposite of terror/fear is boldness, bravery, courage, dauntlessness, fortitude, fearlessness.
We can bow down to terrorism, stop living our lives freely, and be in bondage to fear; OR we can courageously go to a higher source for our safety and be free.
It is important to note here that the belief in self-protection is truly futile if it is relying upon material equipment and mortal abilities. Guns, knives, body armor, tanks, bulletproof materials, alarms can only go so far. To base protection on these things is based upon a false trust. No human ability, protective equipment availability, and constant guard can measure up. We cannot be constantly in possession and able to protect ourselves every second of the day. Do we sleep in body armor, bathe in a bullet proof shower, drive through the fast food in an armored vehicle, go to the movies in a bullet-proof- bubble, or sit at sporting events in tanks? Is our hand on a gun every moment? Can we shoot as well as the next guy? The fearful mind wants to come up with some kind of answer. This is understandable. But the answers of this sort cannot protect us or our loved ones permanently and effectively every moment of the day. We cannot be everywhere our loved ones are!
There has to be something that we can turn to that is infallible, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. There is, it is God. God is the Good that fills all space. God is the powerful Principle, Truth. God is the Mind, the Soul that created Man in His perfect spiritual nature. God is eternal, deathless Life. God is Spirit, the perfect substance, not in or of matter. God is All-in-all. God is Love. God is everywhere, at all times, in all perfect Omnipotence.
And Man? The Real Man is God’s spiritual image and likeness. The Real Man dwells in the perfect Consciousness, Mind, God as perfect Idea. He is forever embraced in eternal Life. He is ‘daily the delight’1, the dearly beloved of Love. The Real Man is the beauty, glory and grace of God, the expression of the Christ.
The counterfeit man that represents the opposite of God’s Perfect Idea, Man, is the anti of God who is Life, Truth, and Love. It is the lie about man and God as separate entities. The liar, the counterfeit evil man, claims that it can kill and die. But it cannot actually kill Life, Truth or Love; or God’s image and likeness, Man. No matter how many different weapons it tries to employ.
This was proven in Jesus Christ’s life. The Christ couldn’t be killed, the evil tried; and Jesus came back to prove the inability to kill Life, God, and God’s Idea, Man.
So, the only way that we can see ourselves and our loved ones as completely safe is to see all as completely spiritual in the Mind of God. As we acknowledge that we are created in the substance of Spirit, we can walk through this experience in safety. By realizing that our life is Life, God, we can live life with freedom.
God is not afraid. When we know this perfect, fearless Being, we too can consistently, persistently, express fearlessly this Divine Power called Life. We can live with courage, undaunted by the terroristic plots of evil just as Jesus did. Otherwise we are forever in the belief of peril, forever in the fearful threat of danger. In this view of life we are forever in bondage never truly free at all.
Our freedom comes with the knowledge of our true spiritual nature, as God sees us, created us, and knows us. The reassuring promise from David in his Psalms, “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; …Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”1
AND in The Acts of the Apostles: “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.”2
“As mortals give up the delusion that there is more than one Mind, more than one God, man in God’s likeness will appear, and this eternal man will include in that likeness no material element.”4
By praying Christianly Scientific in this way, are thoughts are lifted above the grounds of fearfulness to the inspired understanding that brings fearlessness. To live our lives fearless is to be lead by the understanding that God is Life; and Man, the Real Man, as truly spiritual in substance, nature and expression.
We are free born. We can live life and experience safety in the understanding that we live, and move, and have our being in Spirit, the perfect atmosphere and substance of God.
Gentle hug
1 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Proverbs chapter 8 vs. 30
2 ibid. Psalms chapter 91 vss. 5, 9-11
3 ibid The Acts chapter 17 vs. 28
4 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy pg 191:4-6
The opposite of terror/fear is boldness, bravery, courage, dauntlessness, fortitude, fearlessness.
We can bow down to terrorism, stop living our lives freely, and be in bondage to fear; OR we can courageously go to a higher source for our safety and be free.
It is important to note here that the belief in self-protection is truly futile if it is relying upon material equipment and mortal abilities. Guns, knives, body armor, tanks, bulletproof materials, alarms can only go so far. To base protection on these things is based upon a false trust. No human ability, protective equipment availability, and constant guard can measure up. We cannot be constantly in possession and able to protect ourselves every second of the day. Do we sleep in body armor, bathe in a bullet proof shower, drive through the fast food in an armored vehicle, go to the movies in a bullet-proof- bubble, or sit at sporting events in tanks? Is our hand on a gun every moment? Can we shoot as well as the next guy? The fearful mind wants to come up with some kind of answer. This is understandable. But the answers of this sort cannot protect us or our loved ones permanently and effectively every moment of the day. We cannot be everywhere our loved ones are!
There has to be something that we can turn to that is infallible, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. There is, it is God. God is the Good that fills all space. God is the powerful Principle, Truth. God is the Mind, the Soul that created Man in His perfect spiritual nature. God is eternal, deathless Life. God is Spirit, the perfect substance, not in or of matter. God is All-in-all. God is Love. God is everywhere, at all times, in all perfect Omnipotence.
And Man? The Real Man is God’s spiritual image and likeness. The Real Man dwells in the perfect Consciousness, Mind, God as perfect Idea. He is forever embraced in eternal Life. He is ‘daily the delight’1, the dearly beloved of Love. The Real Man is the beauty, glory and grace of God, the expression of the Christ.
The counterfeit man that represents the opposite of God’s Perfect Idea, Man, is the anti of God who is Life, Truth, and Love. It is the lie about man and God as separate entities. The liar, the counterfeit evil man, claims that it can kill and die. But it cannot actually kill Life, Truth or Love; or God’s image and likeness, Man. No matter how many different weapons it tries to employ.
This was proven in Jesus Christ’s life. The Christ couldn’t be killed, the evil tried; and Jesus came back to prove the inability to kill Life, God, and God’s Idea, Man.
So, the only way that we can see ourselves and our loved ones as completely safe is to see all as completely spiritual in the Mind of God. As we acknowledge that we are created in the substance of Spirit, we can walk through this experience in safety. By realizing that our life is Life, God, we can live life with freedom.
God is not afraid. When we know this perfect, fearless Being, we too can consistently, persistently, express fearlessly this Divine Power called Life. We can live with courage, undaunted by the terroristic plots of evil just as Jesus did. Otherwise we are forever in the belief of peril, forever in the fearful threat of danger. In this view of life we are forever in bondage never truly free at all.
Our freedom comes with the knowledge of our true spiritual nature, as God sees us, created us, and knows us. The reassuring promise from David in his Psalms, “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; …Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”1
AND in The Acts of the Apostles: “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.”2
“As mortals give up the delusion that there is more than one Mind, more than one God, man in God’s likeness will appear, and this eternal man will include in that likeness no material element.”4
By praying Christianly Scientific in this way, are thoughts are lifted above the grounds of fearfulness to the inspired understanding that brings fearlessness. To live our lives fearless is to be lead by the understanding that God is Life; and Man, the Real Man, as truly spiritual in substance, nature and expression.
We are free born. We can live life and experience safety in the understanding that we live, and move, and have our being in Spirit, the perfect atmosphere and substance of God.
Gentle hug
1 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Proverbs chapter 8 vs. 30
2 ibid. Psalms chapter 91 vss. 5, 9-11
3 ibid The Acts chapter 17 vs. 28
4 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy pg 191:4-6
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Forgiveness..."Upholding innocence"
Forgiveness is a word that some ignore,
others try and fail, and others do with such grace it is breathtaking. I will never forget when the gunman went into
the Amish School and gunned down several children. It wasn’t the evil I’ll magnify in my
thoughts and remember. It was the
forgiveness! The Amish people expressed
so much forgiveness and compassion. Right
in the midst of their devastating loss they forgave the shooter and expressed
loving kindness towards the man’s mother.
It wasn’t months after the incident, it was practically hours afterwards
that they began this process of forgiving.
When looking up the word “Forgive” there are a lot of definitions such as…‘excuse, condone, pardon…’ These definitions are so lacking and inadequate when it comes to most acts of forgiveness in the simplest forms much less for acts of heinous proportions! How could anyone follow the Master Christian in his command for us all to forgive ‘seventy times seven’1 when something occurs so large? It may be too hard to contemplate. But then a perfect definition of ‘Forgive’ comes across to us. The definition that states, “to uphold innocence.”
We can do this! How? By understanding and seeing Man as God’s child, His Idea—perfect, complete, whole, beloved, loving, free, GOOD—the manifestation and likeness of God’s Selfhood. Then we realize that we can uphold man’s true innocence as God’s perfect Idea. This solid foundation of who and what Man really is, the true existence as a child of God, places us where we can take a firm stand and ‘uphold all of man’s true innocence’, including our own.
Forgiveness isn’t a mortal option but a spiritual activity. The only way we can truly forgive is to lift our views about man from the failing, evil, horrible to the divine, pure, spiritual idea of God. What God knows about His creation lifts our view from the debase pictures of awful humanity to the glory of God’s creation. This higher view lifts consciousness and activity.
Forgiveness is an individual and collective thought and activity. Jesus couldn’t have healed and brought humanity higher from a low view of mankind. It would have been impossible. Christ Jesus had to view man from the standpoint of perfection, goodness, God’s beloved.
We too can view man from this standpoint and love enough to forgive, ‘uphold innocence’, and to view each other from a higher caliber of thought, as God’s image and likeness. We can take each of these challenges to forgive as a spiritual activity instead of a mortal duty. We can see that by forgiving in this way we are following the Golden Rule, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Wouldn’t we want to have others forgive – uphold our innocence – instead of holding a grudge or thinking of us as less than we are, God’s perfect idea?
“Jesus was compassionate, true, faithful to rebuke, ready to forgive. He said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." "Love one another, as I have loved you." No estrangement, no emulation, no deceit, enters into the heart that loves as Jesus loved.”2
We must see that our duty to ourselves and others is to forgive and leave the punishments and judgments up to God’s highest purpose and thought. All are corrected by God and His perfect ways of Love. We need not suffer nor suffer others in our self-beliefs of wrongs. We are responsible to forgive and can do it gladly and obediently. We can do this through love for God and His idea Man.
We can and must forgive. We might as well start right now and go forward blessing others by forgiving them so that we too may be forgiven. After all, our Lord’s Prayer and instruction contains within it these dutiful and promising words, “And forgive us our debts, AS we forgive our debtors…for if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:”3
Gentle hug
1 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Matthew 18 vs. 22
2 Message to the Mother Church, 1902 by Mary Baker Eddy pg 18 lines 12-18
3 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Matthew 6 vs. 12, 14
When looking up the word “Forgive” there are a lot of definitions such as…‘excuse, condone, pardon…’ These definitions are so lacking and inadequate when it comes to most acts of forgiveness in the simplest forms much less for acts of heinous proportions! How could anyone follow the Master Christian in his command for us all to forgive ‘seventy times seven’1 when something occurs so large? It may be too hard to contemplate. But then a perfect definition of ‘Forgive’ comes across to us. The definition that states, “to uphold innocence.”
We can do this! How? By understanding and seeing Man as God’s child, His Idea—perfect, complete, whole, beloved, loving, free, GOOD—the manifestation and likeness of God’s Selfhood. Then we realize that we can uphold man’s true innocence as God’s perfect Idea. This solid foundation of who and what Man really is, the true existence as a child of God, places us where we can take a firm stand and ‘uphold all of man’s true innocence’, including our own.
Forgiveness isn’t a mortal option but a spiritual activity. The only way we can truly forgive is to lift our views about man from the failing, evil, horrible to the divine, pure, spiritual idea of God. What God knows about His creation lifts our view from the debase pictures of awful humanity to the glory of God’s creation. This higher view lifts consciousness and activity.
Forgiveness is an individual and collective thought and activity. Jesus couldn’t have healed and brought humanity higher from a low view of mankind. It would have been impossible. Christ Jesus had to view man from the standpoint of perfection, goodness, God’s beloved.
We too can view man from this standpoint and love enough to forgive, ‘uphold innocence’, and to view each other from a higher caliber of thought, as God’s image and likeness. We can take each of these challenges to forgive as a spiritual activity instead of a mortal duty. We can see that by forgiving in this way we are following the Golden Rule, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Wouldn’t we want to have others forgive – uphold our innocence – instead of holding a grudge or thinking of us as less than we are, God’s perfect idea?
“Jesus was compassionate, true, faithful to rebuke, ready to forgive. He said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." "Love one another, as I have loved you." No estrangement, no emulation, no deceit, enters into the heart that loves as Jesus loved.”2
We must see that our duty to ourselves and others is to forgive and leave the punishments and judgments up to God’s highest purpose and thought. All are corrected by God and His perfect ways of Love. We need not suffer nor suffer others in our self-beliefs of wrongs. We are responsible to forgive and can do it gladly and obediently. We can do this through love for God and His idea Man.
We can and must forgive. We might as well start right now and go forward blessing others by forgiving them so that we too may be forgiven. After all, our Lord’s Prayer and instruction contains within it these dutiful and promising words, “And forgive us our debts, AS we forgive our debtors…for if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:”3
Gentle hug
1 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Matthew 18 vs. 22
2 Message to the Mother Church, 1902 by Mary Baker Eddy pg 18 lines 12-18
3 The King James Version of the Holy Bible Matthew 6 vs. 12, 14
Monday, April 15, 2013
His care is with us...turn on TRUST and see
Having fear and trust issues isn’t fun. Having power issues is self-induced bondage. Feeling responsible for everyone’s well being
can be taxing. Living life as if
everything depends on one person, YOU, can make us all feel frustrated, burdened,
and resentful. Ever feel like that you’re the parent of everybody? Then who’s taking care of you? It can be like
holding onto a tiger’s tail for dear life.
Not knowing how to let go of its tail or when you’ll be eaten by it can
make life pretty miserable.
Once when operating a pipeline painting company I could see that the cash reserves were dwindling. The big job that we were on wasn’t going to be accomplished before I ran out of money. No money meant no supplies, no payroll, no room and board for the guys on the road. I was sweating the possibilities of real trouble. It was at that time I began my course in Trust. Through studying the Holy Bible and the Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, my church books, I was learning more and more about God and trust. A God that we can trust no matter what the challenge or circumstance seemed to be. I started getting a clearer picture of how God is our Parent, a divine perfect Father-Mother, God. A Parent we can trust, love, and turn to no matter when or for what. By learning to trust in God as our divine Care Giver, as our perfect Parent, I was gaining a little more each day why I should trust in God and not myself.
The outward appearances were frightening. I had employees and their families depending on ME. I could not have people work as hard as our guys did and then not pay them. Every time I became afraid or burdened by the heavy responsibility I turned to God in earnest prayer. When the fear of this future lack would fill my thoughts I would turn to God and say, “Father, I cannot wait to see what You have planned.” I did this often for weeks. Finally on a payroll day, without the funds, I was in the shower. Once again the fear bubbled up. The deadline was there, the money wasn’t, and still no answer to how I was going to pay my bills and the employees. But I stood firm in my prayer that God was taking care of all things and all of us. I stated out loud right there in the shower, “Father, I cannot wait to see HOW YOU are going to do this.” And I meant it!
After my shower and getting ready for the day, praying every step of the way, I went to the mail box. Looking at the many pieces of mail I came across an envelope from my insurance company. It looked like there was a check inside. I couldn’t understand why there would be a check from them. Usually they were one of my biggest bills. Opening it up out in the drive, I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was a check for a very a large amount. Included with the check was a letter explaining that it had come to their attention that they had over charged me the year before. The amount of the check covered not only payroll for that pay period but all the other bills till we were finished with the job and received payment for it.
How did it come to their attention? Why would they send me a check? Usually they just took it off the bill for the next year. God! His All-knowing, all-expressing, tender care; God does know all and does all, always. God does take care of everything. God is in all of the details, big and small. By knowing this and turning to this we all can see His constant care.
Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, states, “Step by step will those who trust Him find that ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’”1
Through prayer and listening I had taken each of those fears that had hit me, sometimes hard, and removed them with the simple statement to God that I couldn’t wait to see His answer. It wasn’t a desperate plea to an unknown God. It was a prayer stating a fact through renewed knowledge and trust in God as Love. A statement of fact that He was right there loving us all.
The KEY to this challenge and may others after it was the realization that I am not, we are not, responsible for this person or that problem. We are not, God is. It is God’s universe, God’s people, God’s plan, God’s Life. We’re His beloved children. Children do not have to come up with the answers. Children trust, love, learn, watch, and receive.
“When as little children, we are receptive, become willing to accept the divine Principle and rule of being, as unfolded in divine Science, the interpretation therein will be found to be the Comforter that leadeth into all truth.”2
The words, “the divine Principle and rule of being” reveals a divine Principle and rule that we can always turn to and be healed by. The Principle that God is All-in-all and the rule that His care is constant lifts us above the scary and burdensome. We can “become willing to accept” this divine Principle and rule and be free to see the Comforter in action leading us “into all truth”.
His Love is eternal and infinite. His answers are perfect and timely. His ability is complete and unfailing. God never leaves us, never stops leading us, never stops tending to us. We are His children…why would any parent, especially the Perfect and Divine Parent ever leave a child untended to, uncared for, left alone? They wouldn’t and He doesn’t. We must remember He is always with us and He always is taking care of us. We have nothing to fear only to enjoy.
“Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness…For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”3
Let us turn to Him today and feel His loving presence and constant care.
Gentle hug
1 Science and Health with key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy page 4
2 Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy page 189 line 3
3 King James Version of the Holy Bible Isaiah 41:10
Once when operating a pipeline painting company I could see that the cash reserves were dwindling. The big job that we were on wasn’t going to be accomplished before I ran out of money. No money meant no supplies, no payroll, no room and board for the guys on the road. I was sweating the possibilities of real trouble. It was at that time I began my course in Trust. Through studying the Holy Bible and the Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, my church books, I was learning more and more about God and trust. A God that we can trust no matter what the challenge or circumstance seemed to be. I started getting a clearer picture of how God is our Parent, a divine perfect Father-Mother, God. A Parent we can trust, love, and turn to no matter when or for what. By learning to trust in God as our divine Care Giver, as our perfect Parent, I was gaining a little more each day why I should trust in God and not myself.
The outward appearances were frightening. I had employees and their families depending on ME. I could not have people work as hard as our guys did and then not pay them. Every time I became afraid or burdened by the heavy responsibility I turned to God in earnest prayer. When the fear of this future lack would fill my thoughts I would turn to God and say, “Father, I cannot wait to see what You have planned.” I did this often for weeks. Finally on a payroll day, without the funds, I was in the shower. Once again the fear bubbled up. The deadline was there, the money wasn’t, and still no answer to how I was going to pay my bills and the employees. But I stood firm in my prayer that God was taking care of all things and all of us. I stated out loud right there in the shower, “Father, I cannot wait to see HOW YOU are going to do this.” And I meant it!
After my shower and getting ready for the day, praying every step of the way, I went to the mail box. Looking at the many pieces of mail I came across an envelope from my insurance company. It looked like there was a check inside. I couldn’t understand why there would be a check from them. Usually they were one of my biggest bills. Opening it up out in the drive, I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was a check for a very a large amount. Included with the check was a letter explaining that it had come to their attention that they had over charged me the year before. The amount of the check covered not only payroll for that pay period but all the other bills till we were finished with the job and received payment for it.
How did it come to their attention? Why would they send me a check? Usually they just took it off the bill for the next year. God! His All-knowing, all-expressing, tender care; God does know all and does all, always. God does take care of everything. God is in all of the details, big and small. By knowing this and turning to this we all can see His constant care.
Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, states, “Step by step will those who trust Him find that ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’”1
Through prayer and listening I had taken each of those fears that had hit me, sometimes hard, and removed them with the simple statement to God that I couldn’t wait to see His answer. It wasn’t a desperate plea to an unknown God. It was a prayer stating a fact through renewed knowledge and trust in God as Love. A statement of fact that He was right there loving us all.
The KEY to this challenge and may others after it was the realization that I am not, we are not, responsible for this person or that problem. We are not, God is. It is God’s universe, God’s people, God’s plan, God’s Life. We’re His beloved children. Children do not have to come up with the answers. Children trust, love, learn, watch, and receive.
“When as little children, we are receptive, become willing to accept the divine Principle and rule of being, as unfolded in divine Science, the interpretation therein will be found to be the Comforter that leadeth into all truth.”2
The words, “the divine Principle and rule of being” reveals a divine Principle and rule that we can always turn to and be healed by. The Principle that God is All-in-all and the rule that His care is constant lifts us above the scary and burdensome. We can “become willing to accept” this divine Principle and rule and be free to see the Comforter in action leading us “into all truth”.
His Love is eternal and infinite. His answers are perfect and timely. His ability is complete and unfailing. God never leaves us, never stops leading us, never stops tending to us. We are His children…why would any parent, especially the Perfect and Divine Parent ever leave a child untended to, uncared for, left alone? They wouldn’t and He doesn’t. We must remember He is always with us and He always is taking care of us. We have nothing to fear only to enjoy.
“Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness…For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”3
Let us turn to Him today and feel His loving presence and constant care.
Gentle hug
1 Science and Health with key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy page 4
2 Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy page 189 line 3
3 King James Version of the Holy Bible Isaiah 41:10
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