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A hymn's promise
Sometimes what seems the simplest of concepts can open a new train of thought for me. I love that divine inspiration works that way!
One Wednesday evening, at a church meeting just before Mother’s Day, our First Reader treated us to several stories from the Bible about mothering: Moses’ mother protecting her son, Ruth staying with and caring for Naomi, and Jesus’ request that a beloved disciple care for his mother. Then, as we sang Mary Baker Eddy’s hymn “Mother’s Evening Prayer” (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 207), I was reminded of an insight I’d had some time ago. I’d heard a friend mention a healing she had experienced when reading an article from the Sentinel, and I felt led to look up that article, which included a line from “Mother’s Evening Prayer.” When I read the words “Keep Thou my child on upward wing tonight,” I heard the word “keeps” instead of “keep.” I loved the idea that we can think of this line as a promise as well as a petition.
It may well be that in that line Mary Baker Eddy was asking protection for her discovery—Christian Science—and certainly, many people (myself included) often take comfort from this hymn when thinking of our own children. But I don’t remember using it before as a wonderful promise. It’s wonderful to think of the assurance that God, divine Love, keeps His children safe and secure, and guides us every step of the way.
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