TGIF – Today God Is First – A cherished hymn includes this message: “Glory, honor, praise and pure oblations unto God the Lord belong; Come into His presence with thanksgiving, come before Him with a song. In His hand is all the power of nations, sing to Him, ye joyous congregations, psalms of gratitude and praise unto God the Father raise. God is Mind and holy thought is sending; man, His image, hears His voice. Every heart may understand His message, in His kindness may rejoice. Lo, He speaks, all condemnation ending, every true desire with Love’s will blending; ‘losing self’ in Him we find Joy, health, hope, for all mankind.” [Hymn #73 from the Christian Science Hymnal] The idea, ‘losing self’ in Him we find joy, health, hope for all mankind...’ jumped off the page! I instantly began by asking God to deepen my understanding of how to more thoroughly surrender self, the false sense of identity that can result in unnecessary limitations. In the unfoldment of this study I was led to this passage written by Mary Baker Eddy: “….the Science of Christianity has dawned upon human thought to appear full orbed in millennial glory; that scientific religion and scientific therapeutics are improving the morals and increasing the longevity of mankind, are mitigating and destroying sin, disease, and death; ….that DIVINE LOVE, impartial and universal, ….FORMS THE COINCIDENCE OF THE HUMAN AND DIVINE, which fulfils the saying of our great Master, “The kingdom of God is within you;” that the atmosphere of the human mind, WHEN CLEANSED OF SELF AND PERMEATED WITH DIVINE LOVE, will reflect this purified subjective state in clearer skies, less thunderbolts, tornadoes, and extremes of heat and cold;….For these signs of the times we thank our Father-Mother God.” [First Church of Christ Science & Miscellany pg. 265] So we learn from this passage to ‘unself’ mortality, the mortal purpose is then exchanged with the recognition of God’s complete control and government not only of our lives, and health, and relationships, but also of our environment, the weather, etc. As we have read before, “All is infinite Mind and ‘Its’ infinite manifestation.” [Science and Health pg. 465] There is nothing ‘personal’ going on here, literally. Then I wondered, has this concept of ‘unselfing’ the mortal purpose been proven practical in healing? Let us see: From Patricia Jay in the August 8, 1970 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel we read: “It was October, 1964, and we had already experienced three years of drought and one year of severe drought. Conditions were desperate, and all available funds had been spent in keeping the cattle alive. For some time I had prayed for our normal, right supply of rain, but with little success. Then I lifted my thought and prayed most earnestly to be shown what more I could do or think to demonstrate the allness of God, good. My prayers were answered that very afternoon. While reading the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly, I was shown most clearly. The Lesson-Sermon was on Soul and Body. Two references from the Bible so illumined my thought that I knew I was in Gods kingdom. The first reference, from Matthew, told about the lunatic child brought to Jesus to be cured. We read (17:18), And the child was cured from that very hour. Afterward his disciples asked him, in effect, how it was they could not heal him. Jesus replied (verse 20), Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. The second reference was from John. Jesus, speaking to his disciples, said (14:10): Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. I then saw quite clearly that I too was in the Father, and by reflection the Father was in my consciousness. This being so, I realized that I was indeed in the kingdom now. In the kingdom I saw Gods ideas supplied spiritually with all they could possibly need. This spiritual supply in my consciousness was a presence of light, beauty, and power. I was filled with elation and joy, and I knew positively that we would have all the rain we needed. The rain started the following day. Our needs have been met, our grazing wonderful, enabling us to see the year through, and to spare…..Our ranch is right out in the bush. Christian Science is a great comfort to me.” (Mrs.) Patricia Jay Bulawayo, Rhodesia Then I found this testimony by Lavina Woock from the February 12, 1910 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel “We desire to express our gratitude for what Christian Science has done for us. We have not had any material remedies in our home for seven years; we lean wholly upon God. We have found that Truth is the only true and firm foundation to build upon, and Love supplies our every need. We have had many proofs of Gods protecting care in stilling of the angry elements, also in overcoming the supposed effect of frost over vegetation, and after weeks of drought and heat grain and vegetation yielded abundantly. Many unpleasant things that the mortal child is heir to, such as disobedience, forgetfulness, heedlessness, and anger, have been overcome. …. Our home is full of joy and happiness, and as we grow in the knowledge of this truth, we rise above every material law, and so fulfil the law of God, which brings health, purity, love, and power. We are thankful to God, and to dear Mrs. Eddy for Christian Science.” Miss Lavina Woock, Griffin, N. Dakota. R. Hewitt Ivy shared his healing experience in the September 26, 1936 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel “I have often gained help and encouragement from reading testimonies in the Christian Science periodicals. It is with a sincere desire to help others that I here tell of a few of the blessings which have come into my life through the study and application of this new-old truth, as given to a needy world by our fearless and pure-minded Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. Christian Science came to me in an hour of great need, after the doctors had done all they could to help me, but without any lasting benefit. I had decided to take their advice and submit to an operation for appendicitis, but instead at the last moment I wrote to a Christian Scientist one hundred and eighty miles away for help, and I was quickly healed. For months prior to this I had not slept properly and my life had been a burden. I had my parents to look after, so I had to go right on, although the World War had left me a nervous wreck. Now, after these nine years of Christian Science study, when I reflect on the past, I can only say, Thank God for what it has done for me, in teaching me how to know Him and prove His great love as an ever-present help in every need. I have been healed of the smoking habit, and of the drinking habit, and have seen many faults of character fall at the feet of this teaching. I have seen financial problems solved, some in marvelous and unforeseen ways. I have had many healings through the application of this Science, some of which were of appendicitis, influenza, blood poisoning, sprained joints, insomnia, nervousness, and swollen veins. I have seen wonderful protection to my crops in periods of drought, locust invasion, and so forth; also to my family and myself at different times. All honor to our Father-Mother God! I realize how far I still seem from the mark, but when I review the past I feel I have courage to press on and know each day that I am making more headway toward that true consciousness of perfect dominion and peace and harmony called heaven. To all those who have so willingly helped me along the way, to Jesus the Christ, to Mary Baker Eddy, our beloved Leader, I am deeply grateful; also for membership in The Mother Church and a branch church, and for all that Christian Science means.”—R. Hewitt Ivy, Duvenhage Kraal, Northern Transvaal, South Africa. I am deeply inspired by the humility and surrender of ‘self’ each of these testimonies illustrate. But I cannot close this particular posting without mentioning a cherished article written by Paul Stark Seeley, entitled: Our Father’s Demand -- Unself Mortality. His closing thought in this article says: “The sum of it all is that IN THE EXACT PROPORTION ‘WE’ ARE WILLING, INDIVIDUALLY, TO ‘ACCEPT GOD’ AS OUR FOREVER LIFE, ‘WE’ UNSELF MORTALITY.:” And His full message may be found here at this link: https://facebook/sharer/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fjournal.christianscience%2Fshared%2Fview%2F226xom9xmo8%3Fs%3Df&t=Our+Father%27s+Demand%E2%80%94Unself+Mortality The photograph is of Loch Elt in Scotland, UK and illustrates the promise of God’s control of our environment -- Kindness of Varina Patel.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 05:35:02 +0000
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