The Touch of Class September 9, 2013 Issue

Holy ground

Madelon Maupin

When I was in college, several of my close friends began taking Primary class instruction in Christian Science. This made me think about the step, and, rather quickly, I identified a teacher (whom a close friend had also selected) and applied. I was accepted for his class, which began in a month, but became quite ill the week before. Calling a Christian Science practitioner for prayerful support, I shared that surely this was animal magnetism trying to keep me out of class. After several days of praying, she rather surprisingly (to me and, she later shared, herself) responded: “Or the angels not wanting you to go in!”

That message seemed bizarre, but I trusted her deep commitment to listening to God. I decided to pray—really for the first time—about the very important step of class instruction. It came rather quickly that this was not the right time or teacher, and once I’d realized this, the teacher graciously allowed me to withdraw. I had some serious praying to do to make sure that God, not personal opinion, was indeed leading me.

That following year, I spent much time quietly asking God for direction, affirming that Love alone could and would answer this deepening desire. One morning I awoke with this beatitude strongly in thought: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). I felt prompted to go to a Christian Science Reading Room, and I will never forget standing in the doorway and asking God where to sit, knowing I was being divinely led. A certain chair suddenly seemed like the right choice; as I sat down, the thought came to open a nearby copy of the Sentinel. The first article’s title was that same beatitude. Wow. With tears of humility I knew the author had to be a Christian Science teacher and my future teacher—and indeed she was.