MANY times the Israelites saw the power of God manifested in their provision and protection as they were led by Moses out of Egypt toward the Promised Land of Canaan. But when the way became rough and events took turns not in accordance with their liking, they murmured against Moses, longing for the fleshpots of Egypt and wondering if their anticipated goal was worth their efforts.
Their thinking wavered between the spiritual and the material. When they proved steadfast and obedient, they were blessed. But because of their disobedience to God's commands to go forward, they condemned themselves to many years of unnecessary wandering in the wilderness.
To the student of Christian Science, this journey of the Israelites typifies the mental journey which all must make in order to redeem human consciousness from all materiality and reach the land of heavenly harmony. Eventually, either here or hereafter, every individual must spiritually discern and demonstrate his true selfhood as God's image and likeness. Truth will compel him to put off the old man of fleshly beliefs and to express actively the qualities of divine Mind. The sooner he starts this journey, the sooner will he come "unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13).
In many respects we, the twentieth century followers of Christ, Truth, are like the Israelites of old. The same so-called mortal mind would tempt us to bow down to the fleshpots of today. It would try to impel us, especially those just starting the journey out of the belief of the material senses, to turn back and postpone this exodus until a later date, to continue to look to matter for life, substance, and happiness.
The same counterfeit mind would try to convince us that to live by the Science of Christianity is too hard a way. It would endeavor to tempt us into believing that Science is not practical and that there are many easier and more modern ways of working out human problems. But as we prove steadfast in our efforts to gain a better understanding of God and continue to study and be inspired by this blessed Science, we are led onward.
As we become receptive to spiritual ideas, which are constantly being imparted by God to man, we taste of the manna that is provided for us on our journey from sense to Soul. Then we begin to realize a little more clearly that our heavenly Father is supplying us each step of the way with all true substance, all true health and happiness. To attain one small demonstration of Truth's healing power affords us more true satisfaction and joy than the accumulation of material possessions, with their many fraudulent and mesmeric enticements.
Someone recently said to me, "But it is so hard to be a Christian Scientist." It may seem hard at times to live up to the standard set for Christian Scientists, but are there any shortcuts to the kingdom of heaven? Are we expecting something for nothing? It is true that we must make some effort in order to demonstrate the truth, but when we realize what we get in return, we see that our rewards are great.
Christ Jesus said that the one route to the heavenly kingdom is a narrow one and that because of this, few people find it. Mrs. Eddy corroborates this in Science and Health where she writes (p. 324): "The way is straight and narrow, which leads to the understanding that God is the only Life. It is a warfare with the flesh, in which we must conquer sin, sickness, and death, either here or hereafter,—certainly before we can reach the goal of Spirit, or life in God."
It is not possible for someone else to make the journey to the heavenly kingdom for us or to relieve us of the responsibilities of working out our own salvation. We can receive help from others through prayer and loving counsel, as Moses helped the Israelites, but no one can take our actual footsteps for us. Just as Jesus had to prove for himself his own spiritual selfhood, so must we. Only through our own faithful study, prayer, and practice are we enabled to prove the substance of John's declaration, "Now are we the sons of God" (I John 3:2). Heaven is reached only when we fully realize this attainment, and it can never be arrived at by way of the material senses.
When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, our Master said, "Behold, the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). So the kingdom of God is right now within the consciousness of every individual idea of God. But it is only through the spiritualization of thought that we, perfect and immortal, are able to enter this land.
As students of Christian Science, we have complete and specific instructions to help us to progress Spiritward. They are found in the Bible and in Mrs. Eddy's writings. However, studying these instructions without using them will not promote our progress. We must follow up this study by demonstration.
Declarations of Truth are necessary if one is to establish spiritual facts in human consciousness, but they are effective only when one's living is consistent with one's affirmation. As students put into practice what they are perceiving in theory, they make the only actual progress.
Spiritual progress can be made without suffering but is accomplished only in proportion to our willingness to forsake the material for the spiritual. Most of our problems come from trying to carry too much excess baggage with us on this journey. Trying to hold on to matter, with its many sinful and mesmeric attractions, a little while longer; being reluctant to face up to false dispositional traits, such as human will, dishonesty, egotism, pride, envy, hatred, criticism, and impatience, and to destroy them, we become bowed down. As the leavening power of Truth works in individual consciousness, we are forced to give up such false beliefs; and if we seem to suffer in the process, suffering is only error's resistance to its destruction.
This land of promise lies before us. Even though, like the Israelites of old, we may at times feel discouraged, we should confidently press onward, feeling gratitude for past demonstrations which we have made and keeping purity and love uppermost in our consciousness. Then we shall have nothing to fear, for with God all good is possible, and our destination is assured. As we become more aware of our true selfhood as God's inseparable reflection, we shall be led out of the wilderness of false beliefs, fears, and doubts into the possession of our divine heritage.
Mrs. Eddy reassures us (Science and Health, p. 566), "As the children of Israel were guided triumphantly through the Red Sea, the dark ebbing and flowing tides of human fear,—as they were led through the wilderness, walking wearily through the great desert of human hopes, and anticipating the promised joy,—so shall the spiritual idea guide all right desires in their passage from sense to Soul, from a material sense of existence to the spiritual, up to the glory prepared for them who love God."
