Many a healing has come about through a momentary flash of spiritual inspiration, a glimpse of reality. This is always possible because disease is never what it seems. Although it appears to be materially functional or organic, it is actually the result of discordant thinking. It is a powerless, substanceless belief that a glimpse of God's power and presence and man's perfection as His spiritual expression can destroy. Mrs. Eddy writes, "The rays of infinite Truth, when gathered into the focus of ideas, bring light instantaneously, whereas a thousand years of human doctrines, hypotheses, and vague conjectures emit no such effulgence." ^{Science and Health, p. 504;}

However, the developed spirituality that makes possible the vision of God's allness is not always attained quickly or easily. Moments of spiritual realization must be earned. They are the outgrowth of consecrated preparation. Some progress must be made in the mastery of material sense and its false conception of man and the universe.

When Nicodemus came to talk with Christ Jesus, the Master said to him, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." ^{John 3:3;} To be "born again," to penetrate the mesmeric mist called matter and see reality, one must strive to silence the selfishness and sensuality that obstruct his vision. Speaking of this radical change of outlook, Mrs. Eddy says: "The new birth is not the work of a moment. It begins with moments, and goes on with years; moments of surrender to God, of childlike trust and joyful adoption of good; moments of self-abnegation, self-consecration, heaven-born hope, and spiritual love." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 15;}

Because of the pressure of modern living we tend to become absorbed with external things, and moments of "heaven-born hope, and spiritual love" are often crowded out. Material interests, the demands of making a living, the desires and sensations of the mortal body, are likely to occupy thought to the exclusion of the higher good that we really seek but are groping for in the wrong direction.

Similar forms of animal magnetism, or false material attraction, were present in Paul's day too. They attempted then as now to focus all attention on themselves and cloud the spiritual element in human consciousness. So the apostle warns against living consciously in a false, physical sense of selfhood and urges us to be "willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." ^{II Cor. 5:8;}

Christian Science reveals "the Lord" to be divine Love, the infinite Mind, or Ego, that constitutes and animates the real individualities of all men and supplies their every thought. To be present every moment with this true concept of creator and creation is the goal of the earnest student. This may not be attained fully at this period because of lack of understanding. One may, however, make a substantial start by devoting suitable time to study and prayer and then refreshing his inspiration by pausing periodically for precious moments of spiritual realization.

Mrs. Eddy tells us, "Success in life depends upon persistent effort, upon the improvement of moments more than upon any other one thing." ^{Mis., p. 230.} Further on she continues, "All successful individuals have become such by hard work; by improving moments before they pass into hours, and hours that other people may occupy in the pursuit of pleasure."

Consider the valuable time that is wasted in aimless talk and daydreaming. Just think what could happen in our experience if we put time to practical use by turning from material evidence to communing with the one Mind—clarifying our understanding of the unity, or oneness, of our real identity with divine consciousness!

The consistent realization of the perfection and unity of creation in the allness of infinite Spirit was the basis of Jesus' marvelous healing work. He was always spiritually in tune and therefore equipped and ready to destroy evil in all its forms. To gain this mastery over material limitations, he must have begun at an early age to improve "moments before they [passed] into hours." He never could have reached the point of spiritual development that instantly healed leprosy and blindness, raised the dead, and overcame the limitations of time and space unless he had willingly and persistently devoted time and effort to practicing the true sense of being, looking away from the dream of life in matter and beholding the all-presence of Mind. This is the spiritually mental pathway that we, too, must take if we are to accomplish even a fraction of what the Master did.

So we see that success in any field of righteous endeavor is in exact proportion to the time and intelligent effort expended. Christian Science is no exception to this rule. Success in the practice of this Science demands the very best in every student. Experience soon teaches him the value of each moment and the need to utilize the opportunity it presents to grow in the knowledge of Truth.

Alan A. Aylwin

Let us not love in word, neither in tongue;
but in deed and in truth...And whatsoever
we ask, we receive of him, because we keep
his commandments, and do those things that
are pleasing in his sight. And this is his
commandment, That we should believe on the
name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one
another, as he gave us commandment.

I John 3:18, 22, 23