Article September 19, 1914 Issue

"The finger of God"

ELSIE L. WIGHTMAN

"If I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you," said Jesus, showing as clearly by his words as by his works the "consummate naturalness" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 200) of his conscious relationship with the Father. Reflection convinces us that this was a striking if less obvious way of saying that the Father, whose will he always did, was the glorified author of the heavenly deeds which formed so significant a part of his own ministry; moreover, that when one is released from any form of bondage by receiving into his life "power from on high," he must admit that power not merely as a rescuer or "guide, philosopher, and friend" in emergencies, but as the supreme governing factor of his life. Works thus accomplished are emphatically precluded from the possibility of being otherwise than according to God's will, and sreve to make manifest to mortals the rule of infinite Principle in such a way that they welcome rather than fear it.

Jesus' entire career exemplified that eternally harmonious working of divine law throughout God's creation which Mrs. Eddy has comprehensively described as "the unlabored motion of the divine energy" (Science and Health, p. 445). His perfect oneness with the Father's will enabled him to exhibit unerring action rightly directed, and this produced the immediate effect of instantaneous healing. He declared this to be a normal result, a glorious possibility for every obdient child of "the most High," rather than his own peculiar and exclusive inheritance.

Thus Jesus described the activity of one who is a coworker with God, working under His direct control, in union with Him, reminding us that the works cannot be done until we have become what St. Paul designates as "instruments of righteousness." The great Teacher made this clear in his answer to those critics who attributed his success to Beelzebub. To cast out devils by Beelzebub was not only to declare allegiance to error (for we are told that "his servants ye are to whom ye obey"), but in thus subduing an evil manifestation by the utilization of evil, we should come to be fully identified with it.

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