REFERRING to Jesus, who said, "if ye love me, keep my commandments," Mrs. Eddy says (Message to The Mother Church for 1902, p.17), "He knew that obedience is the test of love; that one gladly obeys when obedience gives him happiness." Our desire to be obedient to his commands measures our love for God and our resolve to become Godlike. Jesus' success in healing was due to his constant recognition of his oneness with God, his Father, and his consequent ability to reflect divine power. Thus our success will be in proportion to our understanding that spiritual man is God's reflection, our obedience to Truth, and our recognition of our oneness with God.
In numerous instances, as recorded in the Old Testament, the prophets, through their obedience, proved their ability to reflect divine power, thereby blessing themselves and others, their vision enabling them to discern the vital importance of listening to God's voice. This obedience needs to be cultivated by all.
Throughout his life our Master, Christ Jesus, implicitly obeyed his Father's divine direction. This is expressed in his beautiful words: "As my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." One of the clearest examples of this obedience is given in the case of the restoring of Lazarus. When the sisters sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick, the Master, notwithstanding his love for Lazarus —for we are told that Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus— abode still in the city where he was two days. Then he said, "I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." And when he came to the place he "lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me." His reflecting of the divine power broke the claim of death.
