Standing our spiritual ground

This week’s Bible Lesson, titled “Substance,” helps us get grounded. It tells the stories of individuals who faced slim odds but didn’t back down from faith in a higher authority, rooted in spiritual substance. Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures defines substance as “that which is eternal and incapable of discord and decay” (Mary Baker Eddy, p. 468 , citation 2).

In Matthew 8 is the story of a centurion, a Roman commander of a hundred foot soldiers, who comes to Jesus and asks him to heal his servant (cit. 9). Despite his authoritative position, the centurion expresses great humility. He tells Jesus who he is, but in the same breath says that he isn’t worthy to have Jesus come to his house. The centurion sought Jesus out of love and compassion, and through faith in something greater than himself. Because he was Roman, it was a big deal for Jesus to say to him, “I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” Jesus was pointing out that it doesn’t matter to God who you are or what your background is; what counts is your spiritual receptivity.

The story of the centurion shows us that in order to stand on the ground of spiritual substance, we need humility, the gateway to faith. Humility is a letting go of the mortal story of where we come from or who we are in society; it opens us to seeing something greater—God and God’s eternal expression. 

The Apostle Paul fearlessly faced overwhelming adversity at times, and the story of the shipwreck is no exception (see Acts 27, cit. 13). While they were in the middle of a huge storm, Paul told those on board, “I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.” He was speaking to people brought up in a world that feared the unpredictability of the sea, which they believed was controlled by capricious gods. For Paul to say with confidence that the ship would be destroyed but that the people wouldn’t, must have been astounding. He had an unshakable faith in God despite what looked like dire circumstances.

In Paul’s letter to the Roman church, he wrote, “I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, … nor principalities, … nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38 , cit. 14). He wrote this at a time when many Christians were persecuted by the government officials, yet he could say that God’s love “persuaded” him. The Greek word translated as I am persuaded also means I trust and I am confident. 

Other stories in this Lesson, such as Daniel not eating the king’s food (see Daniel 1, cit. 5) and Christ feeding the multitude (see Matthew 14, cit. 11), show other examples of individuals acting from an unshaken spiritual standpoint. So what is required to get grounded in real substance? Humility and faith, based on confidence in a higher authority.