BLESSINGS FOLLOWING THE FIRST AWAKENING

The Earl of Airlie

Just as individuals love to think and dwell upon the happy days of their childhood, so many of us who have for some time been treading the path from sense to Soul like to dwell again on our original awakenings to the truth which guides, heals, and saves.

Maybe a few of us have first seen the light and heard the voice of Truth in some desert place. Perhaps these came as a direct answer from God to an appeal when we were in dire need and when all around seemed dark and hopeless. This appeal may have taken the form of a complete turning to God and a casting upon His shoulders, in an agony of human helplessness, of the problem confronting us.

The answer comes to such calls, as it always will, just as was promised by God in the words of Isaiah (65:24), "It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." The answer becomes the first step along the path which leads to a deeper understanding of God. It reveals how God, divine Principle, works. It shows how the saving Christ comes and operates in human affairs, as in Jesus' time. Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 25), "The divinity of the Christ was made manifest in the humanity of Jesus." Again, in the Preface she says (p vii), "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings."

Such was the experience of the writer in World War I, when he turned completely to God in an extremity, through the slight understanding of Christian Science which he then possessed. And he was greatly blessed. The experience led to the glorious unfoldment of God's care and provision now being vouchsafed from day to day. Through this unfoldment have come healings of broken bones, a case of arrested gangrene from shot wounds, as well as healings of many minor ailments. Thus a fuller realization of Truth is dawning upon human consciousness and is bringing to pass that blessing promised in Malachi (3:10): "Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

At times there may come to the student's thought the suggestion that progress following his first experience is slow, or even nonexistent, in spite of his efforts to go forward spiritually. This is a false suggestion of mortal mind which may try to discourage one. It must be recognized for what it is, merely an attempt of error to stifle progress. True spiritual progress cannot be arrested or slowed up. Anyone can experience this progress through fidelity to his understanding of Christian Science. Mrs. Eddy tells us in Science and Health (p. 233): "Every day makes its demands upon us for higher proofs rather than professions of Christian power. These proofs consist solely in the destruction of sin, sickness, and death by the power of Spirit, as Jesus destroyed them. This is an element of progress, and progress is the law of God, whose law demands of us only what we can certainly fulfil."

A little fox which may try to spoil the vine is the suggestion that we have to wait for a blessing. We do not have to wait. In the words of Paul (II Cor. 6:2), "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Let us pause for a moment and ponder the fact that we have unlimited spiritual power, derived from God, available to us—here and now. But we must claim it, knowing that man is the reflection, or image and likeness, of God. With what gratitude we should look back to our first awakenings, which showed us, though faintly, the blessings which would unfold to us as we learned to understand the Christ, Truth, and put our understanding into practice.

We do not have to go anywhere or change anything to find God and His kingdom. These are just where we are now. But we must open our eyes to spiritual reality and prove the truth of Jesus' words (Luke 17: 21), "The kingdom of God is within you."

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