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PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION

From the November 1903 issue of The Christian Science Journal


To many thinkers the terms prayer and supplication are synonymous, but in the light of Christian Science we find that prayer means that God's will is done, not shall be, and that in supplication we have usually desired our own way, and so have endeavored to instruct God as to what we think necessary. God is the one Mind, the one true thinker, the one Principle or governor, and so we cannot desire Him to do contrary to His divine will. His universal kingdom is complete, with no portion of it expressing lack or incompleteness. So to supplicate God shows a belief that we lack something, and that He is not attentive to our needs. Since He is allowing us to be in want, we supplicate Him that He may be prompted to supply the lack.

If it were God's will to give us emptiness could He change His purpose and law to give plenty? Such action would be a contradiction, it would be as if the same fount should give forth both sweet water and bitter.

To assume that we lack, indicates a belief that God is not omnipotence and omnipresence, and that another power is opposed to Him so that He is not able to give us all things good. To argue that He sends us lack in any form, sin, sickness or death, poverty or sorrow, in order to bring us closer to Him is another absurdity; for to send such error He must have it in Himself, and such a premise presupposes an imperfect God. How can our God, who is Love, have any ill to send to His children? Why not be consistent in thinking about our Father-Mother God?

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