The comment "We just have to let nature take its course" is sometimes spoken optimistically, implying that a certain disease will run its course and then the patient will be well. Or the same remark can have the gloomy connotation that everything possible has been done but to no avail, and nature's course may end in death.

But what is this "nature" that has to take its course? Material belief says nature is an erratic physical force. Spiritual understanding shows that the only nature which has a course to take is the nature of Spirit, God, who creates neither disease nor death.

Mortal history depicts man as a mortal who from the moment of birth is faced with a relentless course through childhood and maturity to death. Here Christian Science comes to the rescue and presents the truth that man is spiritual, never born and never dying. He is forever the perfect likeness of his Maker, divine Spirit, and therefore never experiences mortal birth, maturity, or deterioration. He forever reflects the divine nature of Spirit, whose course is harmonious, continuous, intact, never lacking anything, and without beginning or end.

One definition of "nature" is "a creative and controlling agent, force, or principle operating ... in the universe." In the light of Christian Science, the only creative force is God, and He governs the universe and man in perfect harmony. By letting God govern our daily lives we are freed from the hampering, delaying tactics of mortal mind. The caring, perfect nature of God, the divine Mind, is always operative and is reflected by each of us. No power on earth can deprive us of our inherent right to the glories of the divine nature. The New Testament states that through God's power "are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." ^{II Pet. 1:4.}

Our great Exemplar, Christ Jesus, expressed the divine nature of Life, Truth, and Love. His whole being showed forth this perfect nature in healing the sick, feeding the multitude, raising the dead, forgiving those who persecuted him, and restoring sinners.

In the last century Mary Baker Eddy discovered the Science of Christianity. Through her book Science and Health, she gave to the world the glorious revelation of the divine nature, which permeates our lives with harmony, longevity, health, supply, and protection. Through many sacrifices and unflinching labor, she let the divine nature of Christ take its course in her experience. In spite of being misunderstood and persecuted, Mrs. Eddy followed in the Master's footsteps. She proved divine Truth, healing the sick and sinning and restoring the dying, and brought a priceless blessing to mankind. In the textbook, Science and Health, she states, "In one sense God is identical with nature, but this nature is spiritual and is not expressed in matter." Further on she continues, "God is natural good, and is represented only by the idea of goodness; while evil should be regarded as unnatural, because it is opposed to the nature of Spirit, God." ^{Science and Health, p. 119.}

St. Paul refers to God as the "Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." ^{Eph. 4:6.} Where, then, in this allness, is there any place for disease, unhappy relationships, drug addiction, crime, violence, or any other disharmony? In reality, God is ever present. The need is to replace belief in a lower, material nature with understanding of the truths that emanate from Spirit, bringing regeneration and healing.

One does not have to be bound to an inharmonious condition that seems to have eluded healing. Rather, he can cease thrashing about and lift thought above the problem, yielding with joy to the divine nature and letting Truth, Life, and Love be the all of his existence. The Christian Science textbook states the course to take: "We must reverse our feeble flutterings—our efforts to find life and truth in matter—and rise above the testimony of the material senses, above the mortal to the immortal idea of God. These clearer, higher views inspire the Godlike man to reach the absolute centre and circumference of his being." ^{Science and Health, p. 262.}

No matter how advanced or aggressive disease seems to be, when the law of God is allowed to take its course—that is, when thought yields to the divine Mind—there can be only one result: complete healing. It naturally follows that once disease has disappeared from thought, disease disappears from body, for there is no mentality left to sustain it.

The general belief about physical health holds that "nature" must be helped along its way with drugs, mental and physical therapies, hygienic practices, diets, and operations. But the Bible says, "The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." ^{Heb. 4:12.} The New English Bible translates the beginning of this passage: "For the word of God is alive and active." Powerful and alive is the harmonious, dynamic action of the divine nature. God is forever conscious of His own goodness and perfection. Life, Truth, and Love are at the helm of every real activity, pouring forth an unending stream of good.

A clear understanding that the divine nature is alive and operating disposes quickly of any suggestion that a material sense of nature has to take its course through fever and convalescence. Instantaneous healing can result. This happened in the case of a young child who was feeling feverish one morning. Her mother prayed and studied the Bible verse, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." ^{James 1:17.} She accepted the truth that God is unchanging good. She knew the gift of health couldn't be marred by sickness or fever, since there is no variableness in God. Therefore, she reasoned, no variable temperature could be manifested as fever. In a very short time the child's temperature was normal, and she joyfully ran outside to play.

So-called natural forces are powerless to inflict disease or disaster of any kind on God's creation. Earthquakes, storms, floods, fires, wars, and epidemics are not effects of the real and eternal spiritual kingdom. They are the result of belief in a power apart from God. They are material belief in a physical nature that has to take its course and that renders the individual helpless.

Because he understood the divine nature of God and His spiritual creation, Christ Jesus was able to still the tempest long before it had run its course. He walked over the waves. He passed safely through the crowd that would have cast him from the brow of a hill. He willingly suffered crucifixion and demonstrated the indestructibility of Life. Whatever the challenge, he was able to meet it because he yielded completely to God's will, God's nature, knowing that only good would result.

How far do we let nature "take its course" in our everyday association with others? It is imperative that we let the divine nature of Love take its uninterrupted course in or lives by loving our neighbors as ourselves, by seeing only the divine nature expressed in others, as Christ Jesus did.

God has bestowed on man all the beautiful qualities of His divine nature. Mortal mind would attempt to bury these under a cloak of materiality. But as we acknowledge more of the divine nature, we will see generosity replace greed, love replace hate, kindness replace cruelty. Even the most baneful characteristics of mortality are reversible. Man's true identity as the complete idea of Life, Truth, and Love comes to light when we see through the false and perceive the true concept of man, expressing fully the divine nature.