Monday, August 27, 2007

Control Anger with Love

Are you feeling angry? You are angry with your spouse. Why can’t he or she do what I ask? How about your boss? He does not appreciate my hard work. The neighbor can be the worst. Why doesn’t he do something about that messy yard of his? Does this sound familiar to you?

Mary Baker Eddy in her book Science and Health states, “It is our ignorance of God, the divine Principle, which produces apparent discord, and the right understanding of Him restores harmony”. (390:7-9) When we are angry then we are not filling our thoughts full of God but full of hate. Is the problem out there or is it within us?

What is the right understanding of God? In Christian Science God is love and nothing else. Man is God’s reflection so man can only be the reflection of love. Those people whom you are angry with are all the children of God. Can we be angry at God’s creation?

The Bible tells us, “…choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Josh 24:15) This house that is referred to is our consciousness and we have the right to choose the consciousness of love instead of the consciousness of hate.

Fill your thought full of love. Spend your time seeing the good that is going on and anger will cease to control your thought. You will begin to feel at peace and see the love of God all around you.

Friday, August 10, 2007

Encompassed By God’s Everlasting Arms

Right now while I am writing this, there are many efforts going on to dig out trapped coal miners and bring them to safety. In news reports, we hear many facts about how this rescue operation is being pursued, and we hope those operations are successful. We also hear many dire predictions about the trapped miners. But those who read the Bible may notice what news reports say about many people that are praying on behalf of the coal miners. Can prayer help bring about a rescue? The Bible shows how prayer can and does save mankind.

All through the Bible there are many instances where prayer saved lives. Moses, by listening to God and obediently following God’s directions, almost single-handedly defeated the most powerful country in the world, and delivered the children of Israel to freedom. It was his constant faith in God that brought the victory.

When Daniel was put in the lions’ den, it looked certain that his life would be lost. What chance did he have against a bunch of hungry lions? But when Daniel prayed, God kept the lions’ mouths shut and Daniel was delivered unharmed.

The Bible promises, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.” (Psalms 91:1-3) Prayer brings to light that man is never alone, but is in the secret place of the most high; that man is protected and governed by God, and can feel God’s love right there with them. They can trust God, as Moses and Daniel did, and God will deliver them like Moses and Daniel were delivered from Egypt and from the lion’s den.

No matter what the dire predictions the news makes that does not make it so. If God did not say it nothing has been said. Jesus said “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:27)

A few years ago there were news reports about a little girl that had been abducted. For several days she was not found, and news reports predicted that the chance that she would be found was very slim. In my prayer, I refused to believe that harm could come to the girl... I felt that God was love and was with that girl right that very minute. She was not helpless; she had the power of God on her side. I thanked God that there was no evil person to abduct a child. God did not make an evil man, but God made only good. All around her were God’s angels protecting and guiding her.

A day or two later there were news reports that she luckily had escaped unharmed. They reported that the kidnapper had left her in an empty warehouse. While she was there she saw a window and managed to open it a crack. She screamed for help, and a couple of other children helped pull her through the window to safety. My prayers, as well as those of countless others, led to her release. The power of prayer is what freed her.

This collective prayer to divine Love is effective and powerful. We all can witness the effects of our unselfish prayer for others right now. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, said in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “When man is governed by God, the ever-present Mind who understands all things, man knows that with God all things are possible. The only way to this living Truth, which heals the sick, is found in the Science of divine Mind as taught and demonstrated by Christ Jesus.” (180: 26)