Peace

Peace is not merely the absence of strife or war. Peace is more than that; peace is that which nothing can disturb —no, not even "wars and rumours of wars." Peace is not dependent on material conditions or upon the acts of mortals; it is forever the same, namely, a quality or state of the one Mind, or God. Peace is not something to be created or produced; rather is it that which already exists, to be discerned and demonstrated.

The right understanding of God brings to light the peace that passes understanding. During the last precious moments in Gethsemane before his betrayal and crucifixion, our great Master, who had a perfect understanding of God, spoke these comforting words to his distressed disciples: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." To him, peace was not something which the world could give or take away; it was the Christ-gift, the rightful possession of all the sons and daughters of God. This peace is available to all, here and now, no matter how disturbing the present may seem to be.

Evil is powerless, being devoid of intelligence, activity, and presence. But the carnal mind, cherishing its belief in evil as a means for gaining good, or fearing evil as the dreaded destroyer of good, clings tenaciously to its belief in the reality, activity, and power of evil. Christ, Truth, has come to wrest from this reluctant so-called mind its false beliefs. "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." These words of Jesus are explained in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. On page 96 she writes: "This material world is even now becoming the arena for conflicting forces. On one side there will be discord and dismay; on the other side there will be Science and peace. The breaking up of material beliefs may seem to be famine and pestilence, want and woe, sin, sickness, and death, which assume new phases until their nothingness appears. These disturbances will continue until the end of error, when all discord will be swallowed up in spiritual Truth." Jesus foresaw these disturbances and forewarned his followers. Nevertheless, however dreadful may seem to be the material manifestations of this warfare, there is always present and available the real peace, which nothing can disturb.

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God Has Provided
March 2, 1940
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