Enveloped in Love

Although it is stated briefly, “God is love” (I John 4:8 ) is one of the most profound points of the Bible.

God is more than some loving, finite figure. God is Love in its entirety. Much of the Bible’s message is that, in the final analysis, everything that is real and lasting has its foundation and structure in the divine Love that is God. The Science of Christianity is based on this fact. “To infinite, ever-present Love,” writes Mary Baker Eddy, “all is Love, and there is no error, no sin, sickness, nor death” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 567 ).

Many people value how Love’s allness is an indispensable foundation of prayer. If God is All, then Love is All. There isn’t an element in addition to Love and Love’s manifestation. It’s either Love or it’s nothing. There is no battle—God’s allness is the whole story and picture. Prayer reveals that, outside the allness that is Love and its self-expression, nothing exists.

I sometimes find that I don’t give the presence of Love enough room in my thought. That’s a curious thing, because divine Love fills all space! That’s why I have found it a tremendous help to allow an awareness of divine Love’s tangible allness and presence to fill my thinking from top to bottom. It cleanses, washing away the errors of resentment and fear—anything unlike Love. On page 201 of Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy explains: “The way to extract error from mortal mind is to pour in truth through flood-tides of Love.”

Flood tides of Love—now that’s a beautiful image to behold. Just how does one pour truth into consciousness through a flood tide of Love? If Love is All, then God’s love must be pouring forth constantly. So we certainly don’t have to force it to happen. There is a difference, however, between just letting it wash over us and actually letting it soak in.

When we are quiet and selfless, allowing a flood of Love to pour into our thoughts and perspectives, we can’t help but sense something of the infinity of God, good, which excludes all else. “Can Love be less than boundless?” asks Mary Baker Eddy in her dedicatory sermon for the Original Mother Church (Pulpit and Press, p. 3 ). That’s a good question. Where in this allness are divine Love’s boundaries? Where specifically does Love end and fear begin? Where does Love end and injustice or illness or evil start? The only answer to those questions is that Love simply doesn’t end, since something that is All-in-all can’t have an edge or borderline.

So often, to be tangibly aware of Love’s presence and authority is the answer to a prayer. Divine Love is so complete and all-encompassing that it leaves no room for anything but itself and its expression. One way to demonstrate knowledge of this fact is to yield yourself joyfully and thoroughly to Love’s dominion. Don’t believe, even for a minute, that there are parts of a person’s experience in which Love could be absent. The allness that is Love and its self-expression is what exists in every zone of thought and existence. 

You’ll be inspired by how your needs and desires are met by “pouring in truth through flood-tides of Love.” Pour it into consciousness, and watch how it overflows into your life, providing ability and opportunity. With quiet humility, you can be so deeply grateful that Love maintains its own infinity in you, moment by moment.

Flood tides of Love are not like ocean tides. Ocean tides ebb, but Love flows only forward infinitely! It’s a joy to let your whole day be carried along by Love’s flood tide. This verse from Hymn 142 in the Christian Science Hymnal describes it well:

When we’re faced with something hard, it may be tempting to disconnect or give up. Your best option, though, is to use your moments to “pour in truth through flood-tides of Love.” Look how Jesus did that. After his crucifixion and resurrection, his final message when meeting with his disciples was all about love (see John 21:1–22 ). He must have been drawing on God’s love throughout the whole crucifixion! We each have the privilege of following his example and, in our own lives, drawing on Love habitually and confidently.

Love simply doesn’t end, since something that is All-in-all can’t have an edge or borderline.

I find that the way I respond to world events often shows what trust I have in Love. If I accept divine Love’s jurisdiction and authority, what would be the point of resenting and reacting angrily to hatred, insubordination, destructive criticism, illness, lack, deviousness? Clearly, to react heatedly to these things indicates a belief in their authority and presence—authority and presence apart from God, divine Love. That simply is impossible, since Love fills all space. Christian Science enables us to prove that only the presence of God can have any effect in our lives. “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?” asks the Psalmist (Psalms 139:7 ).

Finally, as truth, through flood tides of Love, saturates your thoughts, watch how you actually begin to see beyond the veil that appears as materiality. As you invite God’s love to flood into your consciousness, your infinite nature and your limitless spirituality become evident. A day animated with the qualities of Love—patience, courage, care, and tenderness—lifts you into the power that Jesus enjoyed wherever he went. Today is a good day to follow his example here and now, beholding everything spiritually, enveloped by and permeated with Love.