"IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High." So sang the Psalmist long, long ago; and today, as we read his words, filled with vitality, we are inspired to look up and rejoice, and to turn away from anxiety and fear. They recall the many times we have proved that truly "it is a good thing to give thanks" to God, and to praise Him in joyful song.
The Bible abounds in records of the triumph of Truth when song and praise arose in the hearts and on the lips of the faithful ones, sore-pressed by difficulties that beset their progress. How quickly the walls of Jericho fell when the intrepid army commanded by Joshua had encircled them for the seventh time on the seventh day, "and the people shouted with a great shout"!
Do we sometimes look long at what seem to be adamantine barriers to our progress, arguing that the problem is too difficult, that we are not strong enough to overcome the obstacles, that our own store of understanding is too small to make any impression on so large a demand? If success depended solely upon human effort, we might well be dismayed; but power belongs to God, and successful achievement is the sure reward of intelligent and unwavering trust in God's law, unfolding His purpose to our active and awakened consciousness. Our dear Leader, Mrs. Eddy, writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 494), "Jesus demonstrated the inability of corporeality, as well as the infinite ability of Spirit, thus helping erring human sense to flee from its own convictions and seek safety in divine Science."
When "the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites," symbolizing a whole host of rebellious animosities, hostilities, fears, and doubts trying to hinder progress, "came against Jehoshaphat to battle," it was only when Judah gathered together to seek help of God, and Jehoshaphat acknowledged the inability of the mortal sense of strength to meet the situation—when they turned their eyes to God, the source of all power and wisdom, for direction—that the way opened for their deliverance. Foes to progress, false beliefs, have to be uncovered and vanquished before real progress can be made. So when the false sense of responsibility was dropped, "and when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten."
When Christian Scientists begin the building of their church edifices, the arguments of limitation, lack, fear, and doubt may loom large before the corporeal senses, because the carnal mind cannot see the infinite good that is ready and available to meet the human need. It sees only its own narrow concept of supply, and attempts to outline and plan how little it can do. A Christian Science church must be built through the recognition of God's infinite bounty, forever available, and revealed to the awakened consciousness when the arguments of lack fall before the clear metaphysical work of an active, intrepid host of Christian Scientists, who know that God, divine Love, supplies all that is needed to promote the welfare of humanity through the Cause of Christian Science, and aids every right endeavor in accomplishing this good. Then with the channels for receiving opened, sufficient bounty will flow in oftentimes from quite unexpected sources.
The building of the tabernacle as recorded in Exodus is a marvelous example of achievement under what seemed to be insurmountable obstacles. The children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness, having no such supplies and conveniences as our large commercial centers of today provide. The people whom they met on their journey were mostly hostile, and endeavored to halt or oppose their progress; but there in the wilderness, as it would seem without the necessary provision for such an undertaking, they proved that abundance was present. All that was needed for the tabernacle was provided. Nothing was considered too good for their tabernacle, which was to be dedicated to the worship of God. And so the tabernacle was completed, an outward manifestation of the excellence which results when Truth governs consciousness. "And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it."
Instead of keeping thought narrowed to a seemingly little store, the model that the world holds so persistently before us, let us look away from this narrow concept to God. Let our eyes be upon Him, upon infinite good. Then, and then only, will the door of opportunity and bounty be opened and our need abundantly met. We can lift up our voices in song and thanksgiving even before the testimony of the senses— lack, poverty, unemployment, fear, doubt—has yielded, and see the foes to our progress—our false concepts —smitten, cast out, vanquished. As Mrs. Eddy declares in Science and Health (p. 380), "Truth is always the victor."
