A YEAR OF NEW OPPORTUNITY

EVERY NEW YEAR'S EVE MILLIONS OF people around the globe gather, as the seconds count down, to welcome in the new year. It's a time of expectation and hope—and this year should be no exception. Yet, it's impossible to overlook the fact that at every level, from personal to global, the world is facing some serious challenges. At a time when economic forecasts are very troubling and people are concerned about their financial futures, are there any reasons to feel hopeful?

The Apostle Peter, who faced his share of struggles, must have understood this concern when he wrote, "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you" (I Pet. 3:15 ).

There are bedrock spiritual reasons for hope, even in troubled times, and the teachings of Christian Science show the way to plant our hopes for the present and the future on stable ground. I feel that the best hope, the brightest opportunity available to humanity, resides in our understanding of God. Of His nature and constant care. I'm finding, for instance, that getting to know God as the divine Principle, the source of the spiritual laws of life, gives me reasonable grounds to expect only good. These laws—all of which stem from the First Commandment to have one God and love Him unconditionally—govern His creation in a supremely harmonious fashion.

Newness is actually an attribute of God; as such, it is divine inspiration revealing insights perfectly timed and appropriate to meet pressing needs of both individuals and society. Part of the appeal of spiritual ideas from God is that they point out higher, practical ways to bring improvement and solutions. Jesus promised, "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him" (Matt. 6:8 ).

As a spiritual quality, this newness allows individuals to live what they instinctively feel: that there must be something better, nearer the ultimate good, than what they see. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer of Christian Science, recognized that this has an energizing effect. She wrote in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "Let us feel the divine energy of Spirit [God], bringing us into newness of life, and recognizing no mortal nor material power as able to destroy" (p. 249 ).

The adoption of a spiritual model of life naturally begins with individual thought and spreads out to the collective thinking, in what is sometimes called a ripple effect. Liberating ideas may have modest beginnings, but allowed to flow out in wider and more expansive ways, they eventually touch a larger and larger body of thought.

Solutions to what seem enormous problems—such as the current economic situation—may involve the dawning of quite simple but profound ideas, rather than grand strategies. The dawning of such ideas is, in a sense, similar to the advent of the Christ itself. What first appeared as a little baby, born in a lowly stable, grew into a powerful force that changed the world forever. The Christ can be seen as God's bettering and renewing power, always active in human consciousness, evolving better thoughts and acts.

In an article called "The New Birth," Mary Baker Eddy explained that a new idea or a new concept "is not the work of a moment. It begins with moments, and goes on with years ..." (Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896, p. 15 ). A new calendar year may mark a specific moment, but the opportunity it represents cannot be confined. Newness has an eternal source that continuously supplies us fresh ideas throughout all time. In this same article, Mary Baker Eddy addressed the on-going expression of new thoughts. She likened it to "moments of surrender to God, of childlike trust and joyful adoption of good; moments of self-abnegation, self-consecration, heaven-born hope, and spiritual love."

What strikes me about that passage is how different it sounds from what are commonly called "New Year's resolutions." Each year many resolve to make changes for good in their lives. These resolutions are always well intended, but people so often find it hard to make permanent their desire for improvement. What Mrs. Eddy suggested is an entirely new approach to resolutions—moments of dedicating one's self to a holy purpose. In other words, being God-centered, rather than self-oriented. I believe that part of the change we're seeing in the world is a growing awareness of the advantage, and importance, of serving a higher purpose rather than promoting oneself. Bringing greater recognition that such resolutions naturally manifest the spiritual nature of newness, could have a powerful effect for the benefit of all, promoting the kind of change citizens around the world are yearning for.

Answers to problems don't always come in the form of gandiose plans, or in all-at-once changes. Turning the world's economy around, or improving a family's financial footing, could very well start with a "baby idea" and ripple out moment by moment over the course of years. Central to Christian Science is the view of God as the Creator of the universe and as its governing Principle. It's acknowledged that there is a holy purpose to His creation, and that at this very moment "God is working His purpose out" (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 82 ). As a result, we can begin to understand that all the good that goes on in our lives and our world is "renewable," and traces back to a divine plan.

As we focus our attention on finding fresh approaches to solving the global financial crisis, armed conflicts, rising unemployment, AIDS, environmental concerns, it's important to fix our sights on spiritual reality. Stable answers can't be measured in the stock market or home values, in voting demographics, pollutant levels, barrels of oil, or by any other material factor.

Viewing the state of humanity in this manner reminds me of the time Jesus, the master Christian, rebuked a group of Pharisees and Sadducees who were demanding that he "shew them a sign from heaven." He pointed out that they were pretty adept at reading "the face of the sky," but woefully lacking when it came to discerning "the signs of the times" (see Matt. 16:1-3 ). Jesus went on to warn his followers about the dangers of listening to those who only looked at the outward appearance of things, and not at spiritual things.

While there are some benefits in studying statistical data, people intuitively understand that all the so-called "leading indicators" are seldom an accurate reflection of what they themselves are most concerned about. It's true that people throughout the world gather around their kitchen tables and wonder how they'll be able to care for their families, provide for their futures, and keep them safe and healthy—all of which are very legitimate concerns. Still, might these only mirror "the face of the sky"?

Whether it's articulated this way or not, I think in their heart of hearts, what people most yearn for is a renewed sense of calm and peace of mind. And there's a secret place within us all—that place of the Christ's dawning—where we can discover Mind's reassurance and feel Love's amazing and fulfilling grace. God's grace provides us with the intelligence and strength needed to meet life's immediate and long-term challenges.

According to the Psalmist, God gives His angels charge over your life, "to keep thee in all thy ways" (Ps. 91:11 ). It's truly comforting to know that our Father will always send His messages to help us and watch over us. In describing how God's angels meet our needs, Mary Baker Eddy wrote, "God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies." And she added these reassuring words: "Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment" (Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896, p. 307 ).

I've seen this rule proved many times in the healing of physical conditions that involved crises and the need for restoration and renewal. One time someone called me after badly injuring his hand playing softball. A finger had been crushed by a thrown ball. Pain and confusion had momentarily overwhelmed him. The immediate need was to help him feel these two basic, stabilizing facts: that God was right there, as his actual Life and Physician. And that fear had no hold on him.

I don't recall exactly how I prayed, but I do know that my prayer was based on witnessing the laws of God in operation, including His laws of restoration and renewal. Very soon he called back to say that his thinking was clear again, and the pain was gone. One of the concerns we had to pray about was numbness in the finger. But full restoration did take place, and he told me he now has full flexibility and feeling in that finger.

God's plan is completely separate from any worldly approach to finding answers to complex problems. His plan is made up of ideas that are spiritual and reflect divine wisdom and mercy, patience and power. God has created us all to understand these ideas and to know how best to implement them in our own lives—for the betterment of all. Each one of us expresses, in unique ways, the spiritual qualities that inspire new thinking and compel us to change.

This new year does offer a reason for hope, renewal, opportunity. Everyone has a God-given right to live a life that increasingly expresses the infinite resources of Soul. As we better discern the spiritual "signs of the times," we'll see beyond forecasts that may focus on fear, and begin to see more of the modest reappearing of the Christ-idea and its wonderful promise of blessing. css