Article October 26, 1981 Issue

Healing through unselfed love

[Original in German]

EVELYN J. SCHMIDTKE

The lives of saints of various eras, various confessions, and even various world religions present a striking similarity: However limited their understanding may have been of the impersonal nature of God as divine Principle, all of these men and women felt a fervent love for God that permeated their being. What made their faces radiate with celestial joy and lent them a healing, peaceful aura was "the thought of God." ^{Christian Science Hymnal, No. 260.} An unquenchably deep yearning for God and a childlike, consecrated love for Him characterized their lives. The result was that they desired to dedicate their lives to God.

Christ Jesus summarized the necessity for unselfed love in his restatement of the Mosaic law: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" and "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." ^{Matt. 22:37, 39.} He also said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." ^{16:24 .} And Mrs. Eddy reiterates this thought in many places in Science and Health. For example: "To have one God and avail yourself of the power of Spirit, you must love God supremely." ^{Science and Health, p. 167.} Further, our Leader begins the first chapter in Science and Health with the following words: "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." ^{Ibid., p. 1.}

The priorities are clear: A basis for spiritual growth is an unselfed love for God. This naturally develops in us to the degree that we understand more of His nature; for example, by the study of the revelation of His essence in the Holy Scriptures. This love will be accompanied by consecration to God, which will bring a better understanding of man as His child and an increased ability in the healing of sin and sickness.

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