When Moses was called by God to liberate the children of Israel from bondage to Pharaoh, he doubted his capacity to fulfill this mission. But God was not to abandon Moses to a task depending solely upon his personal prowess. Divine aid and support were promised to him in these words (Ex. 33:14): "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest."
What was the nature of this deific presence that was to go and did go with Moses? It was not a bodily presence, but its influence was felt in his experience. It was the infinite force of Truth, the Christ-idea, evidenced in the series of happenings leading up to the parting of the Red Sea, to let the people through, and extending far beyond that point during their many years in the wilderness before they entered the Promised Land.
The same infinite presence which enabled Moses to achieve success against what seemed to be hopeless odds is here today for all who are in need of help. An earnest study of Christian Science shows how this benevolent power of Truth can be used in the solution of every problem. Through an understanding of God's presence the sick are healed, the grieving are comforted, the sinner is reformed, and the enemy called death is proved to be a fraud. Through the gentle influence of God we are guided, supported, and maintained.
Every quality of God operating in our lives is an indication of God's presence. The consciousness of purity, of goodness, of health and perfection, bespeaks the presence of God. One can truthfully say, then, wherever he may seem to be, that God is present, for consciousness and being are expressed. The more clearly we acknowledge His presence and rely upon it, the more easily are we lifted out of our distresses.
The Psalmist sang of God's presence in these words (Ps. 16:11): "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Well might we substitute for the word "joy" any other quality of God and say, for example, "In thy presence is fullness of health, of love, of wisdom, of purity."
Where God is present, and He is ever present, there are His full power and might expressed. If one clearly understands that God is infinite All, he will necessarily conclude that if joy is present, then health, purity, and love are also present.
Mary Baker Eddy affirms in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 471), "God is infinite, therefore ever present, and there is no other power nor presence." Here is revealed the basic fact which is needed for all Christian demonstration: a clear conviction of the divine ever-presence and power.
If the student is to free himself from a specific error, it is essential for him to reflect and enlarge in his consciousness the counteracting spiritual quality which error would claim to have power to destroy. If, for example, the error is disease, he should cling steadfastly to the consciousness of God's presence and give special attention to the eternal quality of health.
The qualities of God, which act as counterfacts to error, unfold in our consciousness through our acceptance of the Christ, the ever-present power of God. Error cannot withstand the presence of Christ, Truth, and Christ, Truth, will not tolerate the presence of error. Error disappears in the presence of Truth.
A hint or example of the means by which one makes practical use of God's presence in solving a problem may be gained from the actions of a water skier. In mounting the skis from deep water, it is usual for the skier to get himself into a balanced position facing forward. He takes hold of the towline, senses the pull of the boat as it gains headway, and maintains a careful balance. He then lets the power of the moving boat pull him to the surface. Then he must continue to hold on to the line in order to have the advantage of staying atop the water.
One in the depths of sin, disease, or other despair always has available the Christ, Truth, the presence and power of God. He needs but to gain as steady a balance as he can while seemingly in the depths, face forward in the direction of the power of God, grasp the outstretched hand of Christ, hold on, and let the power of God lift him up from the depths to the surface, where the errors of the deep are no more in evidence. And then, having grasped the Truth, he should, in order to progress and not fall back into the depths of error, hold on to Truth, grow in his understanding of God and His creation.
Wherever one may be, in belief, the consciousness of God's ever-presence is a tender message of assurance and peace. One who has a clear consciousness of God's presence need fear no evil or discord. "I will fear no evil: for thou art with me" (Ps. 23:4) should serve as a constant assurance that all is well under every circumstance.
Mrs. Eddy says in "No and Yes" (p. 30), "God's law is in three words, 'I am All;' and this perfect law is ever present to rebuke any claim of another law." In the solution of our problems we have the ability to let God's ever-present law be demonstrated in lifting us above the discords of sense into the sunshine of health, happiness, harmony.
