Teach me!!!

 This morning in reading a poem by Louise Knight Wheatly called, “Teach me to love”¹, I began to pray those same words. But it grew from there. It was more than ‘teach me to love’. But also, ‘teach me how to pray, to think, to serve, to give, to share, to forgive’! TEACH ME! 

A prayer of frustration, perhaps, but one from a meek heart, a yearn to see things from a higher perspective, the standpoint of Love.

In looking up the word ‘meek’ in several dictionaries I found the definition I had been looking for for years. It was ‘teachable, the ability to be taught’.

In times of need, how we long for better ways. When things are not working out, how we wish for better thoughts, activities, expressions of love. When we see how lacking our own personal views are, how we treasure those times of spiritual growth. It all comes from the meekness, the teachable attitude, the waiting to learn a higher expression of life as God reveals His Life to us.

Through that desire, that meekness, those moments of deep desire, when we finally get tired of trying to do things from our own lacking personal beliefs, we turn to the highest source, God, Mind, divine Life itself for all the answers.

At times in life we are brought down to our knees both figuratively and literally. But these moments of childlike cries of need we are brought up higher. Higher not in our own selfish view of a ‘me’ or ‘I’, but of God’s highest view of His perfect creation, Man.

The sincere cry, “Teach me” has been prayed throughout the ages. We read David’s plea throughout his Psalms, “Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.”² “Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.”³ “Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.”⁴ Just to share a few of his many “teach me” prayers.

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians states, “Pray without ceasing.”⁵ Our constant thoughts of ‘ceaseless prayer’ can and should include, ‘Teach me, O Lord’. But it can also be the acknowledging, the affirmation, ‘You do teach me, O Lord, Your perfect ways. You do lead me by Your still thoughts about me and all. You show forth Your constant Love. You are my God, in You I do forever trust.’

Mary Baker Eddy states, “In order to pray aright, we must enter into the closet and shut the door. We must close the lips and silence the material senses. In the quiet                  sanctuary of earnest longings, we must deny sin and plead God's allness. We must resolve to take up the cross, and go forth with honest hearts to work and watch for wisdom, Truth, and Love. We must "pray without ceasing." Such prayer is answered, in so far as we put our desires into practice.
       The Master's injunction is, that we pray in secret and let our lives attest our sincerity.”⁶

God knows all, does all, expresses all Good through man. Let us turn to Him for all things. Let us let Him teach us today what He is and what we reflect of Him. Let us meekly turn to Him ready to be taught His Love, His ways, His strength and ability. Let us let these teachable moments lift us above all to the highest views of God.

I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.

Refrain
I need Thee, O, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Saviour,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour;
Stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art nigh.
Refrain

I need Thee every hour;
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promise, Lord,
In me fulfill.
Refrain⁷

Gentle hugs

1 Poem entitled “Teach me to Love” written for the Christian Science Journal and published in 1908
2-4 The King James Version of They Holy Bible Psalms 25 vs. 4; 86 vs. 11; 119 vs. 33
5 ibid I Thessalonians 5 vs. 17
6 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy pg. 15 lines 14-24
7 Christian Science Hymnal No. 137