Article May 10, 1924 Issue

"God's promises are kept"

EDITH M. SHANK

Christian people have gained much comfort from the study of the promises recorded in the Bible; and rightly so, when one considers the many instances of their fulfillment in the lives of the people of Bible times, those who sought to know God and to do His will. Whatever the need of mankind has been, or is, one may find a promise of God's care applicable to the condition. Is one anxious, restless, unsettled? Then hear this promise, given by the prophet Isiah: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Is the argument of physical distress claiming attention? There is assurance of freedom in this promise from Jeremiah: "For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord." Do lack and limitation seem real? Ponder these comforting words from one of the psalms: "The Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." Is there doubt of God's hearing prayer? Isaiah records the ever-readiness of our Father to hear and answer the prayer of the righteous in this promise: "Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."

From human experience one learns that a promise, in and of itself, is worthless, unless there is reason to hope that it may be brought to fruition. Mortals frequently make promises they do not keep; and so the value of a promise may be said to depend upon the integrity, honesty, and sincerity of the one making it. Having learned through the study of Christian Science the nature of God as unchanging good, we readily admit that God's promises, as interpreted to humanity by the various writers of the books of Scripture, will never fail of fulfillment when mankind has complied with the condition which accompanies each promise. The absolute reliability of God is expressed by the writer of I Kings in these words: "Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant."

Doubtless, a great number of earnest seekers for God's protection and care, who have studied the Bible and noted with joy the many promises contained therein, have not been cognizant of the requirements attached to them; and therefore they have failed to bring into their experience the blessings sought. In this connection the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, has indeed proved itself a "Key" to the Scriptures; for it enables its students to understand what God's promises really mean, and so enables them to be brought to fulfillment according to their various needs. But unless one scientifically understands the phrase, "God's promises," there may unconsciously remain in thought a sense of a corporeal God, giving or withholding good after the manner of mortals.

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