"The battle is the Lord's"

CAROLINE B. WINGERT

One stone from the hand of David was sufficient to bring Goliath of Gath to the earth. The Scriptural record of the overthrow of Goliath by the shepherd boy with his sling has always been a source of inspiration to Bible students. Terrifying, indeed, appeared this great giant as he came forth from the camp of the Philistines, defying the armies of Israel, and saying: "Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us."

The boy David, keenly aware of the presence and protection of God, faced the giant with sublime courage, and, according to the record, "put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth." Calmly he took one stone from the bag and threw it, exactly hitting the mark. David's awareness of divine power delivered him. He knew that God is One and supreme, and because of this assurance he was neither terrified nor confused. Previous experience had developed in David strength, courage, and faith, and now he must have been entirely convinced that a destructive Goliath was impotent in the face of omnipotence.

Just as David prevailed over Goliath with the sling and one small stone, so today intelligent reliance on God operates as a law of annihilation to all that is unlike good. When we as individuals or nations are faced with what seems intense opposition or insurmountable difficulty, do we calmly rely on the simple truth that there is one perfect God and His one perfect creation? Do we always remember that "the battle is the Lord's," and that, whatever the stature or nature of the Goliath in our path, it is merely a magnified effort of error to make us forget the ever-presence of God, good—an attempt to enthrone evil in our consciousness?

Mary Baker Eddy tells us in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 271) that Christian Science "rests on oneness; one cause and one effect." Every problem presenting itself to humanity is due to ignorance of this oneness—is due to a belief in more than one Mind, more than one presence and power, more than one creation. The remedy in each instance is to acknowledge the one cause, admitting no effect from any other so-called cause.

Because God with His perfect creation is All, sickness, sin, and death have no law to support them. A statement of Truth applied with understanding never fails, and all the claims of error must some day fall to earth—be proved unreal. Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 103), "Evil is a suppositional lie."

Let us suppose the Goliath in our path calls itself sickness or pain. The belief is that there is a substance called matter which is diseased and which manifests faulty action or inaction. The truth needed is the fact that God, Spirit, alone is substance, the substance of man and the universe. There is no other real substance.

Again, let us suppose the claim is financial loss. Here the belief is that man has a substance of his own, which he can lose; that this so-called substance or supply is cut off, and the human need not met. The counterfact required to heal the case is the truth that all substance belongs to God and is ours to use, but never to own or lose. The belief of ownership always carries with it the fear of loss; but to understand that all that exists belongs to God, yet is ours to use and enjoy, establishes genuine security. Who has ever feared losing the multiplication table? No one, because no one claims to originate it or to own it. It is ours to use according to the measure of our understanding. So we learn in Christian Science that all good is ours to use, but never ours to own, and never ours to lose.

Our Leader writes (ibid., p. 302), "It is impossible that man should lose aught that is real, when God is all and eternally his." This fact must be discerned and relied on if individuals and nations are to build on lasting foundations. Truth demonstrated means world peace, silencing the greed for possession and the fear of loss.

Today, as the false gives place to the true, and readjustments are being made in human thought individually and collectively, the student of Christian Science reinforces his spiritual armor with the great fact above quoted, namely, that "it is impossible that man should lose aught that is real, when God is all and eternally his." This simple truth, this "one stone" of God's omnipotence, will destroy the giants of fear and greed, which endeavor to paralyze righteous activity. And through the destruction of these modern Goliaths men will awaken to find that all that the Father has is theirs to use and enjoy. Enduring health, lasting peace and joy are here today, awaiting recognition through spiritual understanding.

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