Article February 24, 1951 Issue

"WHAT HAVE I TO DO?"

MYRTIS HOLMES SELOVER

When the son of the widow of Zarephath was ill to the point where, as the Bible tells us, "there was no breath left in him," his mother said to Elijah, "What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God?"(I Kings 17:17,18.) When the writer pondered the account as it appeared in a Bible Lesson in the Christian Science Quarterly, it unfolded to her that Elijah's answer implied what the woman's part in the demonstration was to be. He said to her, "Give me thy son." The mother's work in solving the problem was to give up her possessive belief that she was the creator of the child. The mother obeyed Elijah's instruction. She performed the work that she was given to do. On his part Elijah did his work as healer, and the child was restored.

We have, each of us, something to do when we ask help of a Christian Science practitioner in solving a problem. We do not just sit and have the truth poured over us, as it were. Not that this implies that it is always necessary, or possible, for the patient to do specific metaphysical work for himself when he has asked a practitioner to do this for him. But the patient does have to see that he at least maintains an expectant, receptive state of consciousness.

There is a way to receive treatment just as there is a way to give a treatment. If one asks his friend for something, he does not close his hand and turn his back, but he faces his friend expectantly, stretches out his hand, palm up and open, ready to receive that for which he has asked. We should have the same expectancy of and receptivity for healing when we ask for help in Christian Science.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

REFLECTING TRUE KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLIGENCE