Life has a hold on you—forever

INGRID PESCHKE, STAFF EDITOR

Suicide, Maybe it's touched you personally. Maybe not. But in a way, this topic confronts us all—whether we are touched by it in the news, in our neighborhoods, our homes, or as a subtle thought in our own consciousness. Either way, it deserves prayerful consideration.

I happen to know that the German word for suicide is Selbstmorde, or "self-murder." The thing is, most of us would never consider an act as unthinkable as murder.

Mary Baker Eddy wrote: "All forms of error support the false conclusions that there is more than one Life; that material history is as real and living as spiritual history ..." (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 204). That statement has given me a lot of pause for thought. Isn't it only because of some material history or circumstance that one would ever consider taking one's life? But if material history isn't real and isn't living—as the above passage indicates—then it can't even actually be stopped. God is the only life-giver, the only Life there is, so there is only spiritual history, which is always good. Based on this, it would be impossible to presume there might be a better life to be had—or even a bad life not to be had.

Several of our contributors this week have dealt firsthand with thoughts of suicide. Their resulting prayers not only brought them healing, but a life filled with permanent spiritual joy. Alex Cook tells of a time in his early 20's when life just didn't seem purposeful for him. But through prayer, he came out on the other side with a renewed purpose and vigor for life. Danis Mutchler tells about finding her place in God's infinite design, which wiped out her thoughts of suicide.

The bottom line is, each one of us is precious. As writer Tom Black puts it, we are "precious to God, who creates each of us to express Him now and forever."

The Christian Science Sentinel was founded in 1898 by Mary Baker Eddy, and its mission remains the same: "to hold guard over Truth, Life, and Love." The Sentinel continues to report on the unlimited ways that the healing power and presence of the Christ activates, uplifts, and transforms the lives of everyday people around the world.

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