UPFRONT May 4, 2009 Issue

LET SPIRIT MOVE YOU

JENNY ROEMER, STAFF EDITOR

There's no doubt that many people are both spiritually hungry and ready to receive what truly animates and enlivens them. The Bible is filled with references to "the Spirit of the Lord" moving ordinary people forward to lead lives enriched by knowing the one God.

Current shifts within the Christian movement, together with society's acceptance of increasingly charismatic practices, underscore the heart's yearning to feel the power of the Scriptures and better understand the relevance of Jesus' teachings. And yet, the question remains, How exactly does one go about Spirit-based living?

Mary Baker Eddy offered encouragement in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures when she wrote that "... any student, who adheres to the divine rules of Christian Science and imbibes the spirit of Christ, can demonstrate Christian Science, cast out error, heal the sick, and add continually to his store of spiritual understanding, potency, enlightenment, and success" (p. 462). It makes sense that an active word like imbibe, which can mean "to assimilate," is associated with this deep hunger to both know God, the divine Spirit, and to heal spiritually.