Editorial December 10, 1938 Issue

"I shall not want"

Duncan Sinclair

The Bible contains many references to God's protecting and sustaining power. The following from the Psalms exemplify this, with reference especially to the supplying of human needs, or wants, by the Almighty: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (23:1); "They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing" (34:10); "Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing" (145:16). All of these citations show the confidence of the Psalmist in the sustaining power of God. There is another verse in the Psalms which not only illustrates reliance on God, but definitely points to the condition of thought—righteousness—which makes certain the supplying of human needs. It reads (Psalms 37:25), "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."

Christian Science emphasizes the protecting and sustaining power of God, teaching that this power is not exercised in a haphazard manner, but under unchangeable law. Consider, then, the question in the light of Christian Science. In order to do so it is first of all necessary to understand the nature of God and His creation, and the relationship existing between them. As to the nature of God, Christian Science reveals Him to be infinite Mind or Spirit, infinite Love, infinite good. And God's creation—Mind's creation—it shows, consists entirely of spiritual ideas, ideas which, like the Mind that knows them, are altogether good. Further, it makes known that man is the reflection of God, and that as such he expresses all the qualities of God. What is the signification of these truths? That man—the real man, the man of God's creating—is continually reflecting good, is continually conscious of good. And that is the truth about the spiritual selfhood of us all. Our real selfhood is thus eternally cared for by God, through divine law: it never lacks good; it never is in want.

But what is to be said of mortals who seem to suffer lack—it may be lack of health, of happiness, or of what are termed the necessaries of life? Lack of employment, too, with its attendant hardships, is one of the crying problems of today. We are all aware of the expedients that are being used to meet this last-named difficulty, namely, the supplying of funds to those out of work from the national and state exchequers, as well as from private resources. And who is not willing to do his part in supporting every effort to relieve human need that is animated by good will?

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

"In spirit and in truth"