Sometimes a problem is not what it appears to be. That happened to me recently, and it made me think about how Christian Science treatment works. Here’s the story: When we make a credit card sale in our local Christian Science reading room, we use a little device attached to an iPod touch. Recently, I took the iPod home so my tech-savvy husband could do updates on it. When I brought it back to the reading room and tried to use it again, it said it wasn’t able to hook up to the wireless network. Of course, I tried all sorts of things to rectify the problem—to no avail. While I was considering what I was going to do, I thought about how the divine Mind, God is the only source of intelligence. Since intelligence is as all-present as God is, the solution must be right at hand. I stopped trying to fix the problem and sat quietly thinking. All of a sudden it dawned on me that another electronic device I had with me that day was also unable to connect to the wireless network in our reading room. Ah-ha! What appeared to be a malfunctioning iPod was actually the router’s malfunction. The problem never really belonged to the iPod at all, even though it seemed that way. I quickly and easily reset the router, and we were back in business! I guess you could say the iPod was innocent, and the router was the culprit. This incident is a great metaphor for successful Christian Science treatment. The iPod is like man—innocent, and never possessing a problem at all. Meanwhile, the router is like thought, or more specifically, misconceptions about the real man, which needs to be reset. It isn’t helpful to start with physical symptoms in praying about a problem. We need to start with the correct thought that erases the misconception and its effects. Why do we address thought instead of physicality? Because God, the only cause and creator of the universe, is Mind, it follows that we are ideas living in a mental universe. Although we appear to be materially made, we’re really spiritually made; we’re ideas created by divine Mind. So, those physical symptoms, as tangible as they seem to be, are actually misconceptions about our whole and perfect spiritual nature as God’s idea. In the textbook of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy says, “The Christian Scientist, understanding scientifically that all is Mind, commences with mental causation, the truth of being, to destroy the error” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 423). So, do Christian Scientists take some psychological view of a problem and try to fix what’s going on in the brain? No. We “commence with mental causation” by affirming God as the one and only thinker, or cause, and naturally conclude that we are the mental and good effect of that divine, spiritual, and perfect cause. Starting with this fact—the truth of being—leads us to the correct view of anyone we know. This correct view is like resetting the router: It destroys the misconception that we, or our loved ones, ever possessed disease, or lack of any kind. The next time you’re tempted to fix a material body, reset your thought and start with God. Ask Him about how He made you. He’ll tell you about your spiritual perfection, which is tangible and present here and now. Then, just like me with my iPod touch, you’ll be well and back in business!
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Thanksgiving Day is long past, but I’ve been thinking about gratitude lately. I just finished The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan—a book that a friend recommended. The author writes about her insights and experiences while keeping daily track of gratitude for a year. Every aspect of her life—marriage and family, friendships, work assignments, even body weight—became happier, more fulfilling, more successful, and more balanced. She proved that finding the good in every situation—being thankful—had powerful effects. It reminded me that gratitude has always played an important role in my life as a Christian Scientist. After all, just three pages into the textbook of Christian Science, author Mary Baker Eddy shares some profound but simple ideas about being grateful. First, she asks, “Are we really grateful for the good already received?” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 3.) She points out that when we acknowledge the blessings we have, it opens us up to receiving even more to be grateful for. Continuing on she says, “Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech” (Science and Health, p. 3). Gratitude, then, is more than positive thinking, or a fleeting emotional uplift. It’s also more than merely a recitation around a turkey-laden dinner table. It’s really a command; it requires something of us. For example, gratitude for health and strength may lead us to help friends move. Gratitude for abundance might cause us to give to a charity that we’re passionate about. And gratitude for God, divine Love, moves us to prayerfully acknowledge, “Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals” (Science and Health, p. 13). In our hearts, we can be sincerely thankful that everyone has access to God’s unfailing goodness—no one is left out. Since gratitude moves us to good actions, prayer, and the acknowledgment that God’s goodness embraces everyone, it must have spiritual significance. Gratitude is the realization that we have access to good 24/7, because its spiritual source is omnipresent God. Gratitude isn’t just a response after something good has worked out to benefit us. Gratitude is a spiritual quality that is present and working within us even when we may not see one thing to be grateful for. Gratitude’s powerful promise of peace is felt by our spiritual sense of things, our divine intuition. Jesus knew the power of being grateful. There are several examples of Jesus giving gratitude before a need was met. For example, Jesus’ friend Lazarus had died. By the time Jesus found out that Lazarus was sick, and made his way to the town where Lazarus lived, his friend had been dead four days. Jesus asked to be taken to the tomb where the body had been laid, and for the stone in front of the tomb to be removed. Next, Jesus did something surprising. He “lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me” (John 11:41). Then, with great authority, Jesus called his dead friend from the tomb—and Lazarus came out, alive and well. Jesus proved that the spiritual nature of gratitude was active, transformative, compelling, and powerful. The great thing is, it’s just as powerful in our lives today. The reasons we have to be grateful are right here in our hearts, and those promises of good are tangible and reachable right now. Janice Kaplan observed, “Because it’s not dependent on specific events, gratitude is long lasting and impervious to change or adversity” (The Gratitude Diaries, p. 14). So true! And because gratitude is impelled by divine Love, no obstacle can get in its way. Neither sorrow, sickness, lack—nor even death—can stop or dilute the power of gratitude. Why? Because it’s spiritual: It has its source in the omnipotent and eternal God. Now that’s something to be thankful for! Ringing in a new year brings the concept of time to the forefront of thought—another year has gone by in the history of mankind. Who hasn’t wished they could have a particular moment back to enjoy again, or even to improve? I like to think of a new year as the perfect opportunity to look at the concept of time from a spiritual standpoint. Several phrases from the Christian Science textbook help me to do this. In the Glossary chapter, Mrs. Eddy defines time as “Mortal measurements; limits, in which are summed up all human acts, thoughts, beliefs, opinions, knowledge” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 595). When I remember that definition, I realize that I don’t want more time. I want less limitation, less human opinions about who I am and what I’m capable of. What I really want are more glimpses of eternity, and I suspect you do too! How do we really tap into the limitless and expansive infinite nature of eternity? In her definition of year, also in the Glossary chapter, Mrs. Eddy points out that “one moment of divine consciousness, or the spiritual understanding of Life and Love, is a foretaste of eternity” (p. 598). I want more of those moments of divine consciousness in 2016. This is how I plan to find them:
If you’d also like to leave the limitations of time behind and get a foretaste of eternity, feel free to join me in improving moments by finding the divine at work all around you! You also might like to listen to this 30-minute radio program on what it means to defy time. The focus on giving thanks this time of year finds me counting my blessings. It even brings a song to mind. It’s an old Paul Simon hit called, “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes.” When I think of someone who owns diamond-encrusted anything, I might be tempted to think, “Wow! That person has it all.” Then, when I consider diamonds on the soles of one’s shoes, well, that’s just over-the-top extravagance! It may seem great to think of yourself as possessing so much wealth. However, recently I caught a different view of being extravagantly blessed. It doesn’t involve any diamonds or material wealth at all. In fact, catching a glimpse of how blessed I am only cost me a sincere desire, the surrender of a few preconceived notions, $105, and a trip to my local humane society. Yes, another lesson from another dog. (Read my blogs about the lessons I’ve learned from Torque and Joey.) I’ve wanted a dog for a long time, but who? With so many rescue shelters in Colorado, and even in other states, how could I ever decide? Then I returned to one of my well-used prayers. I usually pray it to God while acknowledging Him as the Great Networker. In this case: “God, you know me, and you know every small detail in all of your vast spiritual creation in which I live. I trust You to keep me constantly companioned with just the right spiritual qualities, today and always.” Along with this prayer, I also threw out all preconceived notions about what I was looking for—not a really small dog (too yippy and nervous); not a really big dog (too rambunctious); not a really young dog (too energetic); not a really old dog (too tuckered out!) I thought about a passage from the chapter on Prayer in Mrs. Eddy’s book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. “Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds” (p. 1). I desired to have a new friend who was perfect for our house, and, in turn, who our house was perfect for. I trusted God to provide just the right companion for my home office life, which includes walking sometimes, and quietly reading sometimes. I also wanted our new family member to appreciate the kindness and affection my husband has to offer—even though he’s not home most of the day. I opened up my thought, and in came Lily! If I hadn’t thrown out those preconceived notions she’d be a little too small, a little too old, and a little too snaggle-toothed. But, she’s just right for us! Lily has taught me more about how God knows each of us intimately, loves us impartially, and never abandons any of us. Someone had put Lily in the night drop at the humane society; she had nothing with her—not even a name. And yet, God knew her very well and placed her right into our loving home. So, this Thanksgiving season, I get to look at the small, precious things that point to the magnificent, and all-encompassing nature of divine Love’s tenderness for all His beloved spiritual creation. Being a witness to Love makes me feel like Lily and I both have diamonds right on the soles of our feet! If you aren’t familiar with Paul Simon’s song, or you’d like to rediscover it, you can go over to my mountaintop moments page and watch the youtube video. Also, if you love the idea of helping out shelter dogs, run over to my mountaintop moments page and see a Missouri program that's helping dogs and kids!
The recent reports of the fires in California bring back memories of the High Park fire that raged through northern Colorado in June of 2012. My house wasn’t in the fire zone, but the soot and smoke that hung heavily in the air for weeks was an ongoing reminder that diligent prayer was needed. During that time, a friend called to say that she and her husband had been evacuated from the fire zone. The mountain house her family had built many years previously was at risk. My heart went out to her, as it does to those facing the same difficult situation in California. Most of us see our house as providing shelter and safety—strong windows, walls, and roof. We see it as our safe place to be. If one’s house is lost, it can feel like the comfort and safety that go with it are lost, too. That can be daunting for anyone. However, I’ve found in my study of Christian Science that we each have a permanent safe place that can never be taken away from us. Prayer can help us understand that refuge and feel the conviction of its sheltering presence for everyone. As I prayed during the Colorado fires, just like I’m praying today, I turned to the Bible to find a deeper understanding of the home where we each dwell safely and eternally as God’s loved children. The book of John says that God is Spirit. And Psalm 90 says that God, Spirit, is “our dwelling place in all generations…even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” What does it mean that Spirit is our dwelling place? It means, that safety, love, comfort, and all of the other spiritual qualities our houses represent are tangibly present now. This fact might seem difficult to grasp in the face of devastation, but there is power behind the prayer that reveals that every individual is living in “the secret place of the most High.” (See Ps. 91.) A good example from the Bible is found in the book of 1 Kings. Elijah is fleeing for his life from queen Jezebel. He finds himself in the wilderness scared and without any creature comforts. He had given up and was sleeping under a juniper tree, when the thought came to him to arise and eat. There before him was “a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water” (I Kings 19:6.) Elijah couldn’t see any hope, was completely alone, and everything had been taken from him. But right there, was God’s provision. Those who have lost their homes may feel they’re also in a kind of wilderness. In her textbook on Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy defines wilderness as, “Loneliness; doubt; darkness.” But she also defines the way out of the wilderness when she includes in the same definition, “Spontaneity of thought and idea; the vestibule in which a material sense of things disappears, and spiritual sense unfolds the great facts of existence” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 597). The great fact that God, divine Mind, is our creator, and that we are reflected forever in that Mind as His loved spiritual idea, enables us not only to feel safe but also be safe under all circumstances. We may not tangibly be aware of it every moment, but God’s provision for us is sure and always present. We can never be separated from the source of all good, the very God that created us. His calm, grace, and comfort are as ever-present as He is. A week or two later, my friend’s neighbor was escorted back into their neighborhood. He brought back the good news that her house was intact, and also the two trees in her front yard, and the hammock still gently swinging in between them. Yes, we were happy to know her house was untouched by the fire. But, just as important, we rejoiced to know more about the truth that each one of us has a spiritual dwelling place and a spiritual identity that can’t be touched by flames or any other destruction. This is a law that governs all of us no matter how challenging our circumstances seem to be. God is ever-present. All of us dwell in Him safely, comfortably, and eternally. Other thoughts on home: The Bible: Psalm 84 Psalm 23 John 14:2 By Mary Baker Eddy: Science and Health, p. 58 Science and Health, p. 254 Stillness. When was the last time you really felt it? It may have been so long ago that you might not even remember. And if you’re 30 or younger, you may not even know what I’m talking about…because you’ve been too busy texting to think about it! Stillness: What is it? It’s when you silence your smart phone, shut the cover on your laptop, let your tablet go dark, and, after you do all that, finally stop wondering what you’re missing. It’s about quieting thought. Stillness: It’s an art. I recently read a book with that title: The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere by Pico Iyer. In it, Iyer tells readers, “Researchers in the new field of interruption science have found that it takes an average of twenty-five minutes to recover from a phone call. Yet such interruptions come every eleven minutes—which means we’re never caught up with our lives.” The fact that there is a field of interruption science should show us that we do need more stillness in the world today! Stillness: Your best defense. Even animals know it. I walked by a rabbit the other day, and it didn’t move a muscle; it didn’t blink an eye; it didn’t twitch an ear. It knew stillness was its best defense. Stillness is your best defense, too. When your thought is quiet and still you can feel God’s presence. You can hear His voice mentally. It leads you out of distraction or confusion and into just the right decision, or the best relationship, or the most peaceful solution in a harried situation. Stillness: Where God’s voice is heard. The Bible tells of the prophet Elijah running for his life from queen Jezebel. (See 1 Kings, chapter 19.) He hid in a cave on the top of a mountain. He didn’t have a smart phone, but the threats of his enemy were definitely a challenge to his stillness. Then, on top of that, a great shrieking wind came along. After that, an earthquake. Then, a raging fire tore through the mountain. But, Elijah discovered that God couldn’t be heard in any of this noisy turmoil. Not in Jezebel’s threats, and not in any of the destruction around him. About that time came a still, small voice. Elijah recognized God’s voice in the stillness. And his example is a promise that each of us can, too. Stillness: Where serenity is found. Some years ago, there was a Seinfeld episode in which George’s dad was having some heart issues. The doctor told him that every time he was upset, he needed to tap into calmness and serenity. In true Seinfeld form, we see George’s dad meeting every stressful moment by gritting his teeth and yelling, “SERENITY NOW! SERENITY NOW!” This episode was all in good fun. But it’s also a reminder that you can’t find serenity just by repeating words, or by looking for it on the surface of things. Stillness comes from deep within. It’s a state of thought that has everything to do with what’s going on within you, and is not affected by what is going on around you. No matter how stressful your day becomes, serenity is attainable now. Stillness: Its source is Divine. In the study of Christian Science, another name for God is Mind. And since there’s only one God, (See Isaiah 45:5,6.) it makes sense that there is only one Mind. Mind, being God, Spirit, is always generating peace, calm, stillness. But, what about all the distractions and chaos we seem to encounter each day? On page 113 of Mary Baker Eddy’s Miscellaneous Writings, she says, “He who refuses to be influenced by any but the divine Mind, commits his way to God, and rises superior to suggestions from an evil source.” It is only the belief that there can be another mind that makes us feel tumultuous and unsettled. Sticking with the fact that there is only one source of thinking—God—no matter what is going on around you, mentally lifts you above the suggestion that chaos is real and overwhelming. Stillness: With God, your only option.
The next time your smart phone is notifying you to the point of distraction, or the news feed on your laptop is pulling you down with moment-by-moment details of every world crisis, or even if the neighbor dog’s incessant barking makes you want to yell, “SERENITY NOW! SERENITY NOW!” remember that divine Mind is causing every thought. Because of that, stillness is your only option. Stillness: Psalm 23 in the Bible is the perfect example. Click here to read it on my mountaintop moments page. Ludwig van Beethoven once said, “Don’t only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the Divine.” You may find it strange that when I saw that quote, I thought of the little dog I’m caring for this month. Like the beagle who stayed with us last year (see my blog--A Lesson from a Beagle) Joey, my new doggy friend, is also teaching me lessons. Joey is a poodle-dachshund mix, and although his legs are short, the two of us love taking early morning walks together. Some days, Joey trots steadily along, forgoing all but the occasional sniff. Other days, he hardly covers any ground, pausing to sniff almost everything in sight. So what do these morning walks with Joey have to do with Beethoven’s quote? To me, they symbolize the two parts of spiritual growth—or feeling increasingly closer to the Divine—implied by Beethoven. First, practice the spiritual truths we already know. Second, demand our inspiration as we uncover new revelations about our spiritual nature as God’s image. (See Genesis chapter 1.) Practicing the spiritual facts we’ve already learned is like the days when Joey and I trot steadily forward. The two of us are on familiar ground. Our steps are strong and confident. We can see our way is clear up ahead and we know where we’re going. We have this! There are no distractions. There is no need for us to stop moving forward. Spiritually speaking, those are like the times when we hear God’s voice speaking loud and clear. On days like this, we usually hear His messages through a well-known Bible verse, or a familiar hymn. I don’t know how many nights I’ve awoken and thought of the 23rd Psalm. There’s such comfort in seeing myself as mentally at peace in Love’s cool, green pastures, or beside Spirit’s calm, still waters. Mrs. Eddy’s hymn, Mother’s Evening Prayer, has also been my companion through thick and thin. The beginning line, “O Gentle Presence,” reminds me that God is always present to provide me with “peace and joy and power” (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 389). Your favorite spiritual inspiration is probably different than mine, but making practical the spiritual truths we already know is the first part of spiritual growth. Like a walking path with no obstacles, these loved ideas put us on sure footing. The second part of feeling closer to God could be compared to the sniffing days of Joey’s walks. Those are the times when we need to stop and listen for new inspiration or direction. Sometimes Joey stops, stiffens his ears, and listens to a faraway bark, or a rumbling truck. There are times when he spends a lot of time putting his nose to the ground and discovering a newly-planted clump of flowers in a freshly-tilled flowerbed. My walking companion’s willingness to stop and discover new information reminds me of a passage from the textbook of Christian Science: “Beholding the infinite tasks of truth, we pause, — wait on God. Then we push onward, until boundless thought walks enraptured, and conception unconfined is winged to reach the divine glory” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 323). Pausing, while we wait for God to show us our next spiritual discovery, helps us move confidently on our path of spiritual growth. Sometimes it isn’t quick or easy. But when we pause, really listen for God’s direction, then accept a new, more spiritual view of things, our steps become light, and we can feel ourselves making our way smoothly over rough terrain and taking unexpected turns with certainty. Perhaps Beethoven wasn’t thinking of spiritual growth as an art. And I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t think of a little dog giving us lessons on raising ourselves to the Divine. But, spiritual growth is an art. Practicing what we know about God, and discovering fresh inspiration that helps us uncover more of our divine nature, puts us on a sure path of successfully feeling closer to God. That’s what I learned from Joey! Michael Swaine is an art teacher—a job that he loves. But on the 15th of each month, you’ll find him sitting on a stool in front of a sewing cart he designed and built. You might mistake the umbrella-shaded pushcart for an ice cream or hot dog stand. Actually, though, this cart has an old treadle sewing machine installed inside of it. Michael sets up shop on the sidewalk in a tough neighborhood in San Francisco. There, he “mends people’s holes.” (Watch the video on this page for his inspiring story.)
Of course, Michael’s talking about patching clothes. But it’s clear that his patience, practicality, and acceptance of people from all walks of life—along with the whirring, foot-powered antique sewing machine—puts smiles on the faces of many passers-by. It’s as if, along with mending clothes, he’s putting some joy in people’s pockets. Michael’s project is so caring, so simple, so grassroots; it reminds me of what Christ Jesus did. Stay with me here: I realize no one can fill Jesus’ shoes. But, as we learn to fill our own shoes well—to compassionately see the inherent good in those around us—each of us can bring healing to individuals in our communities, just as Jesus did. I can’t think of anyone who was more successful at mending people’s holes—redeeming people’s lives from emptiness, illness, despair, and even death—than Christ Jesus was. Instead of seeing an individual as a material body in need of physical patchwork, he saw man’s present spiritual nature, which permanently includes holiness and perfection. You could say that Jesus patched up the holes in people’s lives by seeing that there were no holes to begin with. He saw people as God sees them—completely spiritual, without a thread of materiality. This spiritual point of view brought healing instantly. For example, three of the books in the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—give the account of a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. Two of the books also mention that she had been to many physicians for help. I can only imagine how harrowing twelve years of doctoring in those times must have been. Also, in her culture, she would have been viewed as unclean every moment of those twelve years. (See Leviticus 15:25-30.) The loneliness and desperation this condition caused must have felt like a huge hole in her life. But then she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, and in that instant, her life was restored. Jesus knew that the woman’s spiritual identity never contained a hole. It was never torn by sadness, despair, or the material body’s malfunction. He saw this woman, and everyone else he encountered, as God’s spiritual, pure, and beloved child. This correct point of view healed the sick, and proved for all time that what God has created is complete and holy, now and forever. Nineteenth-century healer, Mary Baker Eddy, based her system of healing--Christian Science—on the works of Jesus. She wrote about the power of God that maintained man’s completeness in Jesus’ day and that still operates in people’s lives today. Mrs. Eddy compared man’s whole spiritual identity to a complete garment when she said, “The divine Science of man is woven into one web of consistency without seam or rent” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 242). I like to think of this passage as pointing out that everything about us was designed, created, and is maintained by God, whose nature is infinite. In the infinite, there are no beginnings or endings, no edges—and therefore, no holes. Man’s spiritual identity—the only identity we have ever had—has never had a tear, never had a seam. There has never been an opening through which sickness, lack, or even death can enter. That’s a fact. Thanks to Michael Swaine’s mending, there are definitely fewer torn clothes and more joy in his community. And using his example of compassion and practicality, combined with Jesus’ godly point of view, we, too, can bring healing to our own communities, by seeing everyone we meet as already whole. Holy and complete. Without patches, and needing no repair. My dad thinks the sun rises and sets by me. The feeling is mutual—I think he’s pretty special, too. It’s a well-known fact: In a majority of cases, dads and daughters have a special connection. I’m convinced that the love dads have for both their daughters and sons is so special that it has to be an expression of God’s impartial and permanent love for each of His children. One of the most powerful examples of God’s fathering love appears in the Bible in the 15th chapter of Luke. Jesus shared a story about two sons and a father—the parable of the prodigal son. The younger son is a bit wild. (You may know the type—hopefully not too well!) He decides he wants to venture out into the world and live it up. He asks for his inheritance early, sending the implied message to his father, “You’re dead to me.” His father knows his son needs to learn some important lessons. So, he gives his son what he asks for and, I imagine, wishes him well. It probably comes as no surprise that the younger son goes far away and quickly wastes all of his money. He ends up taking a job feeding pigs, and at his lowest point, decides to return home and beg his father to take him back as a servant. For me, the father in the story represents God—divine Love. Of course, Love’s nature is to love, and we see God expressed in the father’s interaction with his younger son. He doesn’t reprimand the son, but loves him enough to meet him right where he is. Though human love seems to ebb and flow depending on circumstance, divine Love is permanent. In fact, Love is as constant and reliable as a firm principle. In her primary work, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy pairs the two synonyms for God—Love and Principle—more than 50 times. For example, “Love, the divine Principle, is the Father and Mother of the universe, including man” (p. 256). Also, “The creative Principle—Life, Truth, and Love—is God” (p. 502). When I think of Principle, I think of the strong, solid, and unchanging attributes of law and cause. Like great fathers who dependably provide support, encouragement, and strength to those around them, God, our divine Parent, nurtures His loved creation by maintaining everyone as complete, healthy, and supplied. Anticipating his return home, the younger son prepares a speech for his father: “I made a mistake. I don’t deserve to be your son. Let me be one of your servants.” But before he even makes it to the house, his father sees him coming and runs out to meet him. He puts a luxurious robe on him, a ring on his finger, shoes on his feet, and wraps him up in acceptance, approval, and forgiveness. Time has passed, and hard lessons have been learned, but the father never loses sight of his son’s innocence and purity. And God never loses sight of ours, either. But is that the end of the story? What about the other son—the one who stayed home? He continued to work hard for his father the whole time the younger son was out on the town. You can imagine how angry and resentful he felt when his brother was received with so much fanfare. He wouldn’t go to the party in honor of his wayward brother. In fact, he refused to go into the house at all. So his father did what God does—He went out to him. He assured him by saying, “Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.”(Common English Bible, Luke 15:31). It was as if this Bible verse had come to life for both sons: “I have loved you with a love that lasts forever. And so with unfailing love, I have drawn you to myself” (Common English Bible, Jeremiah 31:3). Like the younger son who was at his lowest point, when we are at ours, Love draws us to Him. The message to pick oneself up, and focus away from problems toward Love’s solutions, is God-impelled. And like the older son, who felt like he was missing something and deserved more, our heavenly Father, divine Principle, assures us, “You are my loved son. I delight in you every moment, and all good is yours now.” On this Father’s Day—and every day—remember the lessons from the parable of the prodigal son. Divine Love is always present to comfort, forgive, guide, and provide you with endless affection and acceptance. Just like my dad who thinks so much of me, our divine Father delights in each of us eternally.
My husband and I were cleaning the basement recently, and as we moved a shelving unit, I saw a man’s black wallet on the floor against the wall. When I picked it up, I recognized my son-in-law’s driver’s license. Although he and our daughter haven’t been married long, he spent a lot of time at our house when they were in high school. Obviously, he had put his wallet on that shelf many years before, and it had fallen back behind and gone unnoticed.
We discovered that the wallet contained quite a bit of money. Then it all came back to us! More than five years ago, our son-in-law had cashed his paycheck—then promptly lost his wallet. We remembered how distraught he was at the time—frantically retracing his steps, but coming up empty-handed. Finally he gave up, sadly believing that the money, driver’s license, and other cards, were gone forever. Finding the wallet taught me a spiritual lesson. Like our son-in-law’s lost cash, I’m sure each one of us has felt at some point that our abundance, health, or even our happiness has gone missing. Maybe we feel like we had these things at one time, but now they’re just out of reach—lost—and we’ve given up on ever seeing them again. But, like the wallet—completely intact, safe, and in fact, right under our noses!—the good in our lives is present here and now, too. Since God is infinite, and good itself, every nook and cranny, in earth and in heaven, are filled with the goodness of God. Your identity, supply, and health are held secure and unscathed in the omnipresence of divine Spirit. The author of the Christian Science textbook, Mary Baker Eddy, supported this fact when she wrote, “It is impossible that man should lose aught that is real, when God is all and eternally his” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 302). Every bit of good that divine Life possesses is eternally ours. It isn’t that God gives us our own health, our own life, or our own supply. God is infinite, and possesses all. Infinity can’t be divided up—a little for you, a little for me. All good, then, is reflected by God’s creation. Just as majestic mountains and statuesque evergreens can be reflected in their entirety on the face of a still mountain lake, so, too, is God’s nature, in all its vast completeness, reflected individually and collectively in His creation—that includes you and me. In another of her books, Mrs. Eddy wrote, “Man is God’s image and likeness; whatever is possible to God, is possible to man as God’s reflection” (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 183). Because you are God’s precious likeness, the abundance, which the whole spiritual universe contains, is yours by reflection. It is impossible that something can be missing. Health, which is an expression of God’s completeness, is also yours by reflection. It is impossible that sickness, so unlike God, can penetrate His oneness. Joy, God’s perpetual expression of Himself as Soul, is yours by reflection, too. It is impossible that sorrow can ever have a place in God’s indivisibility. The next time you think anything good about your life or identity has gone missing, remember the found wallet. Your expression of all that God is and has is right there with you—tucked securely in your back pocket! |
AuthorI hope these insights will inspire readers to think more spiritually about themselves and the world around them! Archives
July 2018
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