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Sunday School Notes and References About twenty years ago I felt that it might be my time to read in my branch Church. I was runner up on the previous election for First Reader. An intuitive sense told me I should be prepared for such a calling. Like Moses I was unsure because, like Moses, I also had a severe speech impediment. I had struggled with this problem all of my life, unable to pronounce words with “ch”, “sh”, “tion” “j”, etc. I later found out that this was referred to as a severe lateral lisp. Not a pleasant thought for someone who had to stand up in front of a Christian Science congregation every week and say, “This Church is a branch of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts.” I sought out a speech therapist, who as it turns out, was raised in Christian Science. He understood the problem but informed me that my impediment was one of the worst he had heard but he would do his best. After many months of exercises and therapy and testing on tape machines he sadly informed me that there was no improvement whatsoever and that there was nothing more he could do. The elections were the next night and I knew that I had no choice but to remove my name if it appeared on the nominating ballot. Well, my name did appear on that ballot but the following words appeared as well in my thought from Exodus 4:10-12: With that I took a big gulp and let my name stay up saying, “OK God, it’s in your hands.” Sure enough, I was elected. I stood up to say a few words. Afterwards a friend came up to me who worked with school children who had speech problems and told me that she had been aware of my problem for many years (in spite of the fact that I hid the problem from most people by carefully constructed sentences that avoided the use of words I couldn’t say). She continued however to add that tonight when I spoke my lisp had completely disappeared. I couldn’t believe what had happened. I went back to the speech therapist the next day and had him put me on the machines to hear it for myself. The impediment was gone! I was instantaneously healed during that meeting. As an aside, the first morning I read, the speech therapist was in the front row beaming and unable to control tears of joy. I share this example with you not only to testify to what Christian Science teaches us about the power of God to heal but also to provide an example of how Christian Science is so very different from mainstream religions that give great counsel and support but rarely demonstrate healing through sole reliance upon God and in a practical, provable and predictable way! Lets look at the definition of CHRIST in the glossary. Certainly God’s manifestation came to my mouth and destroyed my claim. But how? If the manifestation of God is perfect and only recognizes perfection then how can it come tot he flesh and heal a fleshly problem? Let me explain the logic: If there was a puddle of water on the sidewalk would the sun rays evaporate it? Of course. Well, did the sun rays go right down into the water? Sure. Did the sun rays recognize the puddle and only go to that puddle? Of course not. Did they touch, feel, describe, or measure the amount of water in the puddle? Nope. In the same exact way the Christ comes to your consciousness and burns away those imperfect thoughts that make false claims about you. The following sentence should prove useful: Be still, and know that I am God: This passage is translated in the New To be healed in Christian Science we must reverse the material claim and hold to our true perfection—the identity that Mind is expressing right at this moment about you. You might say “ the identity (you) that Mind is thinking.” We talked about this reversal a few weeks back. (Look at the past notes). How many times have you sung Shepherd? A zillion? Yet, have you ever questioned, or even noticed, that Mrs. Eddy gathers first and then sows? Shouldn’t you sow and then gather? Hymn #304 “Feed My Sheep” She is telling us to gather ideas (inspiration) and then sow this inspired view in daily life (our speech and action). Lets look at another example of reversal from previous week’s notes: Imagine, Moses went into the water to find dry ground! Just the opposite of materialistic logic. Mrs Eddy defines the water and the dry land for us: S&H 507:1-3 In metaphor, the dry land illustrates the absolute formations instituted by Mind, while water symbolizes the elements of Mind. See the tie in to Shepherd? We gather ideas (elements of Mind) and then walk safely on the absolute formations of Mind to sow (express) who we really are. And no matter what, you can’t hide from Mind. You can’t escape: Un 64:16 |
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