Article May 26, 2014 Issue

Watch and pray

Ken Girard

This JSH-Online.com podcast with Ken Girard drew on Jesus’ guidance, “What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” (Mark 13:37). Ken was asked to describe what we are to be watching for. The podcast has been adapted for print. To hear it in its entirety, go to journal.christianscience.com/watch-and-pray.

We’re probably all striving to watch—watching world events in order to pray about them, watching for the evidence of God, of good, at work in our world and lives. All of this is so important. But there’s another aspect—one that’s, perhaps, more profound, and one that’s essential to our successful practice of Christian Science.

I’d like to quote something that Mary Baker Eddy told John C. Lathrop about watching. In a reminiscence, Mr. Lathrop said: “Another time, in 1903, I was called to Mrs. Eddy’s study and given a fine lesson on watching. She asked me if I had been watching. I replied, ‘Yes, Mother, I have been going over the Lesson-Sermon and getting much out of it.’ She looked at me sternly. ‘Did you think that was watching?’ she asked. ‘Now I will tell you what it means to watch. To watch is to become conscious of your danger. I will tell you a story which will explain what I mean.’ ”