"A continual allowance"

FRANCES M. GORRELL

There are many people in the world to-day who are making their existence miserable by worrying about tomorrow and its demands. The children of Israel learned the lesson of seeking each day's supply through the gathering of the manna which was provided them day by day. No useless hoarding of it, no mad rushing for it, was allowed,—only the diligent, persistent work of gathering a sufficient quantity to meet the need for the day. There was the call for daily work, for the bending of energies to provide for the daily needs; and so long as they needed this proof of God's care and provision, and willingly accepted the conditions, just so long were they sustained.

The student of Christian Science, through his understanding of the ever present goodness and love of God, his Father-Mother, is gratefully gathering and using the ideas of good that appear to him each day, knowing that these expressions of divine Love are continual, unfailing, and abundant. In the last verse of the last chapter of II Kings we read, "His allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life." Are Christian Scientists who have been lifted out of the prison house of fear and sin and discouragement even as Jehoiachin, of whom these words were written, was lifted out of the material prison by the Babylonian king, realizing their freedom from material bondage, human limitation, and physical pain enough to wait patiently each day for their "daily rate"? Is it possible that, in the face of all that has been accomplished for us in the past, we are still looking to-day for tomorrow's rate? Are we wondering if the courage we shall need for to-morrow's task will be sufficient? Are we questioning the abundance of patience that to-morrow's test will require? Are we vaguely hoping that sufficient strength will somehow be manifest to perform to-morrow's duties? Are we anxiously inquiring if there will be money enough to settle to-morrow's obligations?

Listen again to the sweet words of promise, "A daily rate for every day, all the days of his life"! Then let us lay aside every doubt and fear and anxious thought, and gratefully and humbly gather the manna of to-day. It means effort and courage and faith to do this; it means persistence and patience and prayer. But there is no uncertainty, no delay, no lack in the result; for there is manna enough for all,—there is an abundant supply of God's ideas to meet all demands. Our Leader tells us in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 307): "God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies. 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."

By turning away from matter or so-called material sources of supply we shall find fuller realization of the abundance that God gives. The consciousness of God as ever present, ever living, and ever giving dispels the thought of any lack of the manifestation of good. Resting quietly in the full assurance of divine Love's constant outpouring, we gratefully receive every idea of good as an angel of God, and hasten to follow that angel out into the fullness of joy and peace and abundance.

God hath given us "richly all things to enjoy;" and every anxious thought about the future is a doubt of His gift of love. God never fails. The failure to realize the wealth of His power and supply is our failure to understand Him aright, and our consequent unwillingness to look to Spirit alone as the source of supply for every need, however simple or however large. Divine Love's supply is exhaustless. All may take this manna, the full allowance of Love's bounty; and still there is abundance for all.

Whatever the need, be it love, patience, courage, strength, or daily supply, it will be met through the realization of God's abundance and His perfect willingness to give out to each seeker his "daily rate for every day, all the days of his life." All that we need for to-morrow will be forthcoming, if we use wisely the ideas of good that come to us today, ever seeking to enrich and bless and lighten another's path; for according to the teachings of Christian Science, we cannot receive unless we share the abundance which is ours by realization.

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