Independent Christian Science articles

The River of God

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The Bible says, “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God.” (Psalm 46:4) That statement gives a picture of our dear God, who is the infinite divine Mind, pouring forth right thoughts and ideas like a stream, or river.

In this time, where the media is pouring forth all that it is saying, and doing so aggressively, even then there is this river, this rushing stream of right thoughts from God, counteracting the negativity and filling the mental atmosphere with God’s Truth! Hymn No. 80 says, “There is a river pure and bright, Whose streams make glad the heavenly plains; Where, in eternity of light, The city of our God remains.” What a comfort that is — no matter what error tries to suggest, “the city of our God remains,” steadfast and unmoved!

A few years ago I had an experience where the idea about this river helped me immensely. A group of us were working on a project at church, but we did not know what steps to take, or just what we needed to do. I remembered this statement about the river of right thinking from God, and I found myself saying, there is an answer, even though I didn’t know what the answer was. There was a moment of silence, and after that someone else had an idea to try, which led to finding a way to complete this project, step by step.

This was proof that, no matter what situation we are in, God is sending forth His guiding light, His right ideas that will always be there if we look for them and ask Him for them. There is always this river, pouring forth good thoughts — and in practical form — that are always there to help us, when we turn to Him in sincerity.

Get the Blessing

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Thanks to the wonderful help of a Plainfield practitioner, I’ve had a chance to learn a great lesson, which was to get the blessing from each experience, even those which seem difficult. At one time, I was involved in a traffic accident and suffered the loss of a car. I was lost, didn’t know what to do, and was very depressed about it. I called a practitioner and explained what had happened. Immediately, the response from the practitioner was to get the blessing from this experience. This was a new concept for me, to take an incident like this, where I suffered a loss, and get the blessing from it! So, I went forward, got another car, and kept reminding myself that there was a blessing in this experience.

I realized that to fall down, get discouraged, and complain over every bump that comes along is not a picture of a child of God. I got the resolve that if something comes along with an unpleasant surprise, I was going to come back with a surprise of my own, which is not to fall down and complain, but to rise up even stronger. I resolved to be more insistent to do God’s will and to have God’s blessings. And, that whatever the devil would try, would not happen. This required consistent effort on my part, which is a good discipline. There have not been any traffic incidents since then, and it has been many years now. I am very grateful for the practitioner’s help in turning me to God, and to acting like God’s child, and having His blessing.

Don’t Get Picked Off

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Nearly all of us have had, at one time or another, an experience that could be considered a life-changing event. Sometimes it is something quite pleasant, or it can be very harsh. Regardless, it is how we go through it and come out the other end that matters. It’s important to get the good from each experience and not allow the experience to impair us.

Those who take things personally are liable to have an adverse response. Those burdened with a personal sense of things are likely to react in one of two ways — either to get personally elated or personally offended. Both are unstable conditions, leaving them subject to being picked off. Remember that the enemy is impersonal error — an impersonal devil that tries to put a personal experience in front of us and have us get hung up in it. Don’t fall for the trap.

God is our refuge and strength. He is our life. Personal sense cannot do anything to us, because our life consists only of that which comes from God.

In the 23rd Psalm is the verse, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.” Notice that the psalmist walked through the valley and didn’t get stuck in it. Every day brings its challenges — some are more challenging than others. But there is always a Guiding Presence that helps us through them — all the way through them. When we come out, we are stronger and wiser for the experience, a better worker for God. Insist that this is so and refuse to fall away from it. God bless.

A Sure Foundation

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There is a foundation;
Its footing is sure;
It’s the truth that we know;
It keeps the heart pure.

In this world of uncertainty,
Where can we turn?
The truth, our foundation,
Can meet each concern.

Thank God for this truth,
It quiets every fear,
Disperses the mist,
And keeps the way clear.

In times of constant change,
One thing stays the same.
It is our sure foundation;
Everlasting Truth is its name.

Love is the liberator.