Throughout the life of Christ Jesus as portrayed in the Gospels, we find frequent reference to his Father's will and to the desire to do and to obey this will instead of his following mere human desire. The Master gave us these words in the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:10): "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." He once said to his disciples (John 4:34), "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." And in the hour of struggle in Gethsemane he prayed (Luke 22:42), "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

Reared in a deeply religious atmosphere, our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, was taught from early childhood to love and obey God and to look to Him for guidance. The authorized biographies of Mrs. Eddy, available in all Christian Science Reading Rooms, contain inspiring accounts of her early receptivity to the truth. After her discovery of Christian Science, in each step of the work of establishing the great movement of which she is the acknowledged Leader, she waited until she was divinely inspired and directed.

On page 206 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy makes this arresting statement: "The power of the human will should be exercised only in subordination to Truth; else it will misguide the judgment and free the lower propensities." And in many other places in her writings she reiterates the importance of placing God's will first.

Whatever the human situation may seem to be in which we find ourselves, our duty as Christian Scientists is to strive to do God's will, follow His direction, and learn to know and reflect the one Mind which is God. Yet in the hurried affairs of the modern world how frequently we attempt to put human will first. We sometimes pray glibly, "Thy will be done," and then we proceed to tell God how to do it and are dissatisfied or even openly rebellious if things are not done to suit us.

God speaks to His children now as surely as He did during Bible times, but it is only when the material senses are silent that His voice can be heard. To work with God and to act in accord with His directing requires consistent daily communion with the one Mind. It is well to set aside some time each day for receptive listening to the divine Mind, and after we have listened, we must act promptly and fearlessly, knowing that under God's direction we cannot make mistakes.

It is only by striving to live in constant rapport with Mind that we learn to know God and are ready to act under His direction. Our Leader says (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 117), "The neophyte is inclined to be too fast or too slow." And she adds farther on: "The disobedient make their moves before God makes His, or make them too late to follow Him. Be sure that God directs your way; then, hasten to follow under every circumstance."

In the realm of human decisions, it is indispensable that we seek first to follow God's will and to acknowledge and obey Him as the one Mind. When we have done this, the way is open for further unfoldment of good as we continue to pray, as we listen for and obey His voice. A decision based on nothing more substantial than human will, desire, or ambition is at the mercy of the foibles of human weakness and lacks divine authority. A decision reached after prayerful communion with God and as a result of listening to Him is divinely supported and sustained, and everything necessary for its successful unfoldment is provided.

For several years, a student of Christian Science considered moving to a city in a distant part of the country where she had spent a very enjoyable vacation. As further visits resulted in continued unfoldment of friends and business contacts, the desire to live in that city increased. From one human standpoint there seemed no reason why the move should not take place immediately; from another standpoint there appeared to be equally good reasons why it should not. As she pondered the problem and sought the right answer in Christian Science, it was very evident that any decision made hastily, or for purely personal or arbitrary reasons, would be hazardous.

With the loving help of a practitioner, work was done to know that the only will is God's will, the only Mind is God, and that man, created in His image and likeness, reflects only this Mind. Both the practitioner and patient knew and declared that all of God's ideas are forever established in Mind, engaged in right activity, and that each right idea carries with it everything necessary for its harmonious unfoldment.

On two occasions the way seemed clear, and preparations for the move were begun. Then almost at the last minute, an inner voice said, "This is not the time;" and further developments proved that it was not. Instead of being annoyed at the delay and the change of plans, this student expressed much gratitude for additional time and for the opportunity in which to do more prayerful metaphysical work.

After many months of prayer, the decision to move came in a most unexpected way. It was not only desirable and possible to make the change, but necessary to do so. God's direction was seen with such clarity that there was not even the slightest temptation to question the wisdom of the decision. Final preparations had seemed insurmountable in prospect, but as a result of consistent daily work and of continuing to listen for and obey God's direction, all her affairs were dispatched quickly and efficiently within a few weeks.

In the new location there was continued evidence that God's loving care had prepared the way. The friendly community provided a more complete sense of home and social life to enrich the student's experience; and the transfer of membership to a smaller branch church offered more opportunity for activity in the Cause of Christian Science. Each day presented new opportunities and reasons to be grateful for a wise decision which carried with it many proofs of God's loving guidance.

Only through spiritual consciousness can we hear and understand Spirit. The ability to listen to God cannot be learned from a book, reduced to a formula, or acquired by any material method. It can be cultivated only by constant spiritualization of thought and by our claiming oneness, or unity, with infinite Mind. Spiritual intuition is a quality of Spirit, which we possess by reflection, and its scientific value in making our demonstrations cannot be overestimated. As we cultivate and use this spiritual quality, and as we learn to depend on it, we find ourselves increasingly able to distinguish between the erring suggestions of mortal mind and the sure and certain guidance of the divine Mind.

The Christian Scientist who works consistently with God is never uncertain, never fearful, never hesitant; but he goes forward confidently, rejoicing in our Leader's words (Poems, p. 79),