Article March 27, 1995 Issue

How things look from a higher, spiritual perspective

Donald R. Loster

Shortly after arriving for a few days' stay at a cabin 8,000 feet up in the mountains, I felt the symptoms of altitude sickness. I asked my wife to help me in prayer. I also decided to listen to a tape of hymns from the Christian Science Hymnal, which I had brought along. It was somewhat of a surprise when direction for prayer came quickly. The first hymn started out, "How beauteous on the mountains ..." (No. 120).

I began to think of the spiritual symbolism mountains have in the Bible. Where did God give Moses the Ten Commandments? On a mountain. And where did Christ Jesus give the Sermon that capsulizes Christian conduct, which, when loved and lived, ensures the blessings of obedience to the divine commands? The book of Matthew says, "... he went up into a mountain" (5:1).

Both of those experiences in the Bible were beautiful and remain so for us today through inspired study of the Scriptural teachings. But it isn't the geography that makes them beautiful and available to us; it's the height of spiritual receptivity and vision illustrated and demonstrated by both Moses and Christ Jesus. They both taught and practiced what they had seen of Truth, Jesus giving us the highest example. Doing what most would call "miracles," they proved that the divine precepts are powerful. But it was the understanding of the divine all-power that overcame what appeared to be overwhelming obstacles. This theme extends from beginning to end in the Bible. Mary Baker Eddy states, "The central fact of the Bible is the superiority of spiritual over physical power" (Science and Health, p. 131).

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