Article October 17, 1925 Issue

"The joy of the Lord"

PETER B. BIGGINS

The Christian Scientist, as a result of studying "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, learns that God, divine Mind, is the source of spiritual joy. He seeks to rely upon divine Mind to guide his every thought, word, and deed. He finds that in proportion as he allows the divine Mind to govern his thought and life, harmonious results follow. Thus he learns the divine rule underlying happy service, acceptable to God and helpful to his fellow-men. He learns to pursue his work cheerfully, even when trying problems need to be solved. And can we say that our problem is really solved until joy is realized? A human problem is simply a manifestation of the belief that the harmony of being is hidden from view. When the mist of false belief is dispelled through the understanding of Truth, the harmony of being is seen to be ever present and intact.

It was a time of great encouragement and rejoicing for the remnant of Jews in Jerusalem when Nehemiah returned from Persia to rebuild the walls of the capital city of Judea. The children of Judah had been carried captive in the course of repeated invasions. Those inhabitants of Judea who had remained in and around Jerusalem, or who had returned from captivity, had endured severe hardships. When word was brought to Nehemiah that the remnant that were left in the province of Judea were in great affliction and reproach, that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and that the gates thereof were burned with fire, it aroused him to action. From what we learn of Nehemiah from the book bearing his name, it is plain that he had done his work well while serving as cupbearer to Artaxerxes, the Persian king. Nehemiah was utilizing and demonstrating the divine law, and as a result of this clear, unselfed work, he was ready to respond to God's requirements; and the pagan beliefs of the Persian court were powerless to hinder him. Thus it became possible for Nehemiah to return to the city of his fathers to do the work he was called upon to do.

After the wall had been rebuilt, the people requested Ezra the scribe to read to them from the Word of God. It was a chastened multitude that gathered in the street before the water gate to hear Ezra read to them from the book of the law of Moses. The people of Jerusalem had seen the wonderful care of divine Love as expressed in Nehemiah's work. They had noted how divine Mind had imparted the wisdom needed to meet and master every difficulty that had arisen. They had seen how a clear understanding of Truth made it possible to withstand with heroism the blandishments of a cruel and crafty foe, and to prove the nothingness of evil. And now, this great work having been brought to a successful conclusion, it was fitting that they should show their thanks to God by faithful attention to the divine law. The sadness which Nehemiah had seemed to suffer from, and which the Persian king had noted when he stood in his presence, had now given place to spontaneous joy, since the needed work had been well and faithfully performed. So now Nehemiah was able to encourage the people not to grieve over past shortcomings, but rather to rejoice in the harmony that was being restored; "for," as he kindly assured them, "the joy of the Lord is your strength."

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