Prayer

November 12, 1998

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

John

The early part of our meeting was awash with naive concepts of prayer, very much in the spirit of orthodox or old-time religious views of God as a kind of tyrannical potentate, dispensing good or bad to His offspring in an arbitrary manner. Sentiments expressed were along these lines: "I find it difficult to trust God with my desires — what if He gives me something I don't want?" or "I've prayed to God for X (a rigidly adhered to version of what the outcome must look like) without results." Furthermore, we tended to look towards the ceiling when talking of God, sometimes with outstretched arms in submissive gesture to our Ruler.

One of our members arrived late and was blissfully unaware of the funk we'd talked ourselves into. He described a healing he'd had some years back — of what he didn't even remember — but the essence of it was that Love would not countenance such a problem. The use of one of the synonyms Mrs. Eddy has given us for the term God broke the mood and lifted us to a level where we could begin to access Science. The rest of the meeting was wonderful. It was almost as though we needed to flush all the old rot out of the system to allow Reality full rein.

Some very interesting points emerged:

  • One member heard, during the week, a discussion with an old Indian who had been praying for years for the return of the buffalo. His interviewer wondered whether he grew weary of praying when the results seemed delayed, but the Indian said he had faith the prayers would bear fruit even if it took centuries. To the student of Christian Science, this would confirm the point in our practice that whatever the so-called appearances, we keep on knowing the Facts of Being.
  • A member who, a few weeks ago, had described the healing of a famine in China by a practitioner of the Tao brought us a write-up about the incident. It includes many statements of pure Science such as this: "In the synchronistic moment, the separate "I" no longer feels 'How lonely it is'; instead, the person directly experiences a sense of oneness." (The Tao of Psychology, by J. S. Bolen, M.D.)
  • Another member, who says he knows the words of Science very well, prays by stopping all words, letting go of dualistic judgments and sinking back into a unitary sense of Reality. From there he can view whatever situation may be occurring on the belief level as entirely divine. For him, this is the divine-human coincidence, and it heals. "All that really exists is the divine Mind and its idea, and in this Mind the entire being is found harmonious and eternal." (Science and Health, pg. 151:26-28)
  • One member read a couple of statements from the book Christian Science, by Herbert Eustace: "Prayer is right knowing. True prayer is the realization that that which is is all that is."
  • Another member read from page 367 of Science and Health, lines 17-29 which includes this sentence: "The infinite Truth of the Christ-cure has come to this age through a 'still, small voice,' through silent utterances and divine anointing which quicken and increase the beneficial effects of Christianity."  He then stated, "I must be the emanation of the 'I' that is called the 'still, small voice' "
  • Another member articulated a kind of blending of depth-psychology and Christian Science — the former as only a tool, lest anyone feel the urge to flee. Here goes — Since mortal life is a dream per Science and every dream has within it a wish or desire per psychology, and since desire is prayer per Science then every motive and act of daily life can be seen as prayer. All that is needed to de-code these prayers and bring them to fruition is the listening that Science teaches (i.e. our now divinity asserting itself as all).
  • A helpful way to view our business is that we are in the practice of Christian Science — let everything flow from that standpoint.

Healings:

We didn't have much time left for healings this week, but the meeting itself was a major healing event for us all as we swept away the cobwebs of false theology and put prayer on a firmer footing in our lives. There were a few snippets:

  • One member was having trouble with very noisy upstairs neighbors, but saw the problem healed by sticking with the simple thought that every problem has a solution. The neighbors moved.
  • Two of our members have seen dire financial lack healed when their "backs were against the wall". In both this and the previous healing there was a surrendering of any outlining of what the solution or healing should look like.
  • One member tried to rouse some business deals he thought were cooking only to see them all fall apart. He was understandably despondent but suddenly out of the ashes arose the possibility of a new direction. As he talked about it at the meeting some members noted that he had cleared away only phantom deals to allow the real ones to appear.

The Bible

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy

The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love. Regardless of what another may say or think on this subject, I speak from experience. Prayer, watching, and working, combined with self-immolation, are God's gracious means for accomplishing whatever has been successfully done for the Christianization and health of mankind.

Thoughts unspoken are not unknown to the divine Mind. Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds.

In order to pray aright, we must enter into the closet and shut the door. We must close the lips and silence the material senses. In the quiet sanctuary of earnest longings, we must deny sin and plead God's allness.

Christians rejoice in secret beauty and bounty, hidden from the world, but known to God. Self-forgetfulness, purity, and affection are constant prayers. Practice not profession, understanding not belief, gain the ear and right hand of omnipotence and they assuredly call down infinite blessings.

For a long time I was always looking back to see if the error had gone, until one day when I realized that to catch a glimpse of what spiritual sense means I must put corporeal sense behind me. I then set to work in earnest to find the true way. I opened Science and Health and these words were before me, "If God were understood, instead of being merely believed, this understanding would establish health" (p. 203). I saw that I must get the right understanding of God! I closed the book and with head bowed in prayer I waited with longing intensity for some answer. How long I waited I do not know, but suddenly, like a wonderful burst of sunlight after a storm, came clearly this thought, "Be still, and know that I am God." I held my breath—deep into my hungering thought sank the infinite meaning of that "I." All self-conceit, egotism, selfishness, everything that constitutes the mortal "I," sank abashed out of sight. I trod, as it were, on holy ground. Words are inadequate to convey the fulness of that spiritual uplifting, but others who have had similar experiences will understand.

From that hour I have had an intelligent consciousness of the ever-presence of an infinite God who is only good. —C. B. G., Hudson, Mass.

Miscellaneous Writings, by Mary Baker Eddy

Three times a day, I retire to seek the divine blessing on the sick and sorrowing, with my face toward the Jerusalem of Love and Truth, in silent prayer to the Father which "seeth in secret," and with childlike confidence that He will reward "openly." In the midst of depressing care and labor I turn constantly to divine Love for guidance, and find rest. It affords me great joy to be able to attest to the truth of Jesus' words. Love makes all burdens light, it giveth a peace that passeth understanding, and with "signs following." As to the peace, it is unutterable; as to "signs," behold the sick who are healed, the sorrowful who are made hopeful, and the sinful and ignorant who have become "wise unto salvation"!

Prayer can neither change God, nor bring His designs into mortal modes; but it can and does change our modes and our false sense of Life, Love, and Truth, uplifting us to Him. Such prayer humiliates, purifies, and quickens activity, in the direction that is unerring.

True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection. Prayer is the utilization of the love wherewith He loves us. Prayer begets an awakened desire to be and do good. It makes new and scientific discoveries of God, of His goodness and power. It shows us more clearly than we saw before, what we already have and are; and most of all, it shows us what God is. Advancing in this light, we reflect it; and this light reveals the pure Mind-pictures, in silent prayer, even as photography grasps the solar light to portray the face of pleasant thought.

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