As a student of the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy’s writings, I often expand on passages for prayer by substituting words that bring out additional meaning for issues I’m addressing. For example, take Psalm 145: “The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (verse 9). In thinking about what God’s “tender mercies” are, I might ponder concepts such as wisdom, holiness, beauty, peace, goodwill, vitality, and honesty. Or, in praying with “the scientific statement of being” in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, I might say something like: “Therefore man is not material [sick, sinful, dying, corrupt, violent, divided]; he is spiritual [whole, enlightened, free]” (p. 468).
As I’ve been thinking about the “Daily Prayer,” found on page 41 of the Church Manual, certain phrases have jumped out at me. Here are some of the ways I’ve been thinking about them:
“ ‘Thy kingdom come;’ let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love …”—this “reign” is the kingdom of heaven; the reign of “unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love” (Science and Health, p. 248). It’s the appearing of “the fruit of the Spirit,” which is described in Galatians as “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (5:22, 23).
