Supporting the Community

“... let us deny this godless lie that the earth is ever cursed. God always blesses and never curses anything. There is no curse of drought, hurricane, flood, pestilence, seeds, untimely frost, abnormal heat or cold, in the one and only kingdom of God. Help yourself and all mankind ... along this line.” “No Big Power Veto,” 1948 Association Address, by Herbert E. Rieke.

During one Roundtable this Herbert E. Rieke address was shared. We were encouraged to read it. This, along with the instruction that we are to pray, “All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation” (S&H page 468), and it is our job to see our world as God made it.

I drive by an area on my way to church that has many apartments. Often trash collects in the area. One day the trash was scattered everywhere. I had never seen it this full of trash. This alerted me to make sure I was praying about this situation as we have been instructed.

I first affirmed that as children of God the people in the areas desired to be orderly and to live in a clean environment. God's man is an expression of God, Soul, which includes the quality of beauty.

Mrs. Eddy states: “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need.” (S&H, page 494) We can certainly trust Him to do so. “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Christ Jesus) I held to these truths whenever that neighborhood came to my thought. I prayed until I felt God was in control of His creation, where there are no desolate areas. As God's children, they are awake to gratefully take care of their surroundings. God had an answer to what appeared to be a chronic situation.

The next day, when I drove by this area, I saw at least a dozen piles of trash collected. Something I had not witnessed before. The sidewalk and grass were free of trash. I continued praying that this would continue with a plan to quickly pick it up to complete the project.

The next day, all the trash was gone. I know this was not a coincidence, because this trash had been around for many months. Sometimes it takes weeks for a collection of trash to be picked up. I am grateful for our strong Thursday watches and to be learning to be awake to the needs around us and applying the laws of God to anything unlike His universe.