True Desire

JANET T. SCHAFER

We are told in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy (p. 1) that "desire is prayer." This leads us to ask ourselves, For what are we praying?

Whenever we have a need to apply the healing truths of Christian Science to some physical problem, what is our real desire? Just for physical healing? No! True prayer and real desire are not according to this pattern. True prayer is the longing to express more of God's perfection, to obey no law but His law, and to prove that there is only one God, good, and that man is the image and likeness of God. True prayer is the denial of all that is unlike good, the casting out of all that would deface and dethrone His image. It is the positive knowing that we are dwelling in the haven, the harmony, of Soul, and that there is no power, law, or intelligence that can separate us from God's love and protection. It is the conscious at-one-ment with divine Principle, Love, and the constant affirmation of man's heritage as the full and perfect expression of divine Mind. This prayer of positive knowing, this awakening to the forever fact that man preexisted and coexists as the perfect idea of Mind, and that nothing has power to separate him from God, reveals to us man's ever-present perfection.

Some years ago the writer had an experience which proved to her that when she turned her thought away from the human sense of anxiety and responsibility and prayerfully sought the Father's will, the Christ was present to heal completely and quickly. An infant daughter was having Christian Science treatment for a mastoid condition, and there seemed to be no improvement. Week after week went by, but the desired healing did not occur. Then, one day, when she was humbly listening for the Father's voice, our Leader's verse, "To the Big Children" (Poems, p. 69), came into thought:

"Father-Mother good, lovingly
Thee I seek,—
Patient, meek,
In the way Thou hast,—
Be it slow or fast,
Up to Thee."

Thought was lifted above material sense testimony to the truth of man's unchanging perfection. It was realized that this dear little child had not sinned, and therefore did not have to suffer sin's punishment. This little one was under no penalty to suffer, nor was she under any false mortal law. The truth was that as God's child, His spiritual idea, she existed at the standpoint of perfection, had never left perfection, nor did she need to be brought back to perfection. Perfection is unchangeable! This awakening brought the complete healing.

What is our true desire when we go to the Father for help in a business problem? Is it, primarily, for financial gain? Let us, in our business, resolve to do the Father's will, to serve Him, daily expressing to all with whom we come in contact honesty, intelligence, righteousness, reliability, and love. These emanate from divine Mind and are needed in the world. They are never useless, unwanted, or idle. Our true desire in all our activities should be that we may be obedient to the Master's command, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

When we join a Christian Science church, our true desire is not to get, but to give—to serve, to love. What does this consecration and service bring to us? It brings the blessed privilege of serving in our Father's vineyard, and, by serving, the Christian Scientist gains spiritual growth, inspiration, new opportunities, healing. This service not only blesses us, but also blesses our own individual field of endeavor and all mankind.

When we desire to build or complete a Christian Science church, what is our true desire? Merely to erect a structure to be seen of men? As in all Christian Science demonstrations, our real desire in building is that God, as we know Him in Christian Science, may be known by our neighbor; that the truth which our Leader gave us will reach all those receptive to its healing message, and that thus all mankind will be blessed. Our desire must be for true humility, for willingness to serve and share, for receptivity. Our desire must be to give up any preconceived ideas, self-will, fearful, or limiting thoughts. Our thought must be, "Not my will, but thine, be done." Our true desire in building is to prove that Christian Science can be demonstrated in the unifying of thought and in erecting a church dedicated to the one true God.

When we dedicate our churches, our true desire is to consecrate ourselves anew to God, and to give proof of our gratitude to our Leader for the precious truth she has revealed to us. Our true desire or prayer is that our churches may express the beauty and joy of Soul, that all material sense testimony may give place to spiritual sense, and that all may rejoice and "dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

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Spiritual Meaning of the Scriptures

May 27, 1939

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