When the children of Israel, on their journey out of Egypt, found themselves surrounded by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the Red Sea before them and the pursuing Egyptians behind them, they cried out against Moses for having induced them to start on this journey to freedom. But Moses was not dismayed by these threatening material conditions, nor by the Israelites' belief in and fear of them. He placed complete reliance on the power of God, and urged the others to do likewise; and as a result of his steadfast stand he was receptive to God's guidance, "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward." With this command also were given directions for fulfilling it, obedience to which resulted in deliverance.
Today, in our mental journey out of the material sense of existence into the realization of the spiritual facts of being, we are under this same command to go forward, never accepting mortal beliefs as insurmountable obstructions or obstacles, but overcoming through the power of God whatever claims to oppose, resist, or prevent spiritual progress. As the children of Israel were delivered through their obedience to God's command, so will deliverance come to us today through the same obedience.
Our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, has restated this demand for spiritual progress and has clearly pointed out the way in which to obey it. On page 233 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" she writes: "Every day makes its demands upon us for higher proofs rather than professions of Christian power. These proofs consist solely in the destruction of sin, sickness, and death by the power of Spirit, as Jesus destroyed them. This is an element of progress, and progress is the law of God, whose law demands of us only what we can certainly fulfil." What an inspiring call to go forward! And the way is clearly defined: the way of progressive demonstration, proving in greater measure each day the presence and power of God and the nothingness of the various claims of matter or mortal mind. How gratitude fills the heart for the definite assurance that we can meet this demand and follow in this way, since God's law of progress "demands of us only what we can certainly fulfil"!
