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Motivated by and for God
Originally published in The Christian Science Monitor’s Christian Science Perspective column August 25, 2025.
I was walking down the hall to my office on the first day at my new job, when a guy noticed me and shouted through his office door: “Oooh-rah!” I was serving the United States Marines as a Christian Science chaplain, and I realized that the Marine was excited to see me. His shout was one of camaraderie and esprit de corps, as it was, in effect, a statement of spirit and motivation.
I was glad this new job was my first in the US military because it helped to set the tone for my entire career as a chaplain. Not only did I feel motivated by that camaraderie, I felt motivated by and for God.
For me, feeling motivated by God comes from having a camaraderie, so to speak, with Him. Through prayer—through talking to and listening to God—I had been divinely guided to serve in this position. Mary Baker Eddy, who founded this publication, writes, “God is our helper. . . . He has mercy upon us, and guides every event of our careers” (Unity of Good, pp. 3-4). My prayers had been motivated by my desire to serve God, as I often prayed something like, “God, where can I serve You best? I will go wherever You want me to be.” So I knew the answer that came had to be guided by God.
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