A little chap was disobedient and was sent to his room by his mother, who admonished him to think of God. He knew how to do this because he was a pupil in a Christian Science Sunday School. Later when his mother asked how he was thinking, he stretched his arms wide, smiled brightly, and said, "Oh, I think so-o-o big!"
What a spur this is to any of us who may be in trouble to turn to God and "think big"—that is, to realize the infinity of God's presence in order to rout the miseries of physical sense impositions! Every thought of God makes evil or error just that much less, because it replaces the seeming reality of mortal testimony with the evidence of the presence of God. When one looks at the stellar universe, the extent of which cannot be seen with the human eye or even with the most powerful telescope, and tries to calculate the millions of miles between the stars and planets and our earth, a feeling of immensity sweeps over one that cannot be put into words. We are in awe of the grandeur that stretches on and on and on overwhelmingly. But Christian Science teaches that the magnitude and grandeur of the physical universe is but a hint of the infinitude of the universe of boundless Spirit.
God's spiritual universe, depicted in the first chapter of Genesis in the Holy Scriptures and explained in the chapter on Genesis in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, reveals the real creation of Mind and ideas, or infinity. Christian Scientists understand that infinity connotes not a static immensity but the unfolding here and now of the reality and magnitude, the boundlessness and measurelessness, of perfect creation; the completeness of divine Mind and its ideas; the infinite presence of God, Spirit, revealing man as the highest idea of His creation. From this sublime viewpoint one grasps in increasing measure the omnipotence of the Mind, or intelligence, that has created all. In sacred moments of spiritual enlightenment the mounting thought beholds what has seemed far-off and theoretical to be real here and now.
As contradictions of material sense testimony are replaced with the reality of God's ideas, we see that there can be no matter. We begin to possess a higher basis upon which to stand mentally. What has seemed illusive and unattainable now becomes a practical help in everyday life. We are able to substitute spiritual facts or ideas for the material beliefs with which we are confronted, and have the evidence of these spiritual facts. We put all things in God's care and thus glorify the supremacy and ever-presence of Spirit. Why do we substitute right, spiritual ideas of spiritual creation for material beliefs? The answer is plain: that we may prove God's allness and ever-presence.
A fundamental teaching of Christian Science is disclosed in the opening words of Science and Health: "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings." Science and Health, p. vii; Every sincere student of this Science labors to possess understanding of, and trust in, infinite good because he desires to subordinate material sense testimony to the reality of Spirit.
The Psalmist surveyed the heavens and the moon and stars, and as mortal man seemed to shrink in importance, he cried, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Then he answered his own question: "For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour." Ps. 8:4, 5; The real man, being at one with God, reflects the power of spiritual knowing and beholds all things as the ideas of God. "Man reflects infinity, and this reflection is the true idea of God." Science and Health, p. 258; With this stupendous thought from the textbook one begins to comprehend that in place of the imperfect, material concept of man accepted by the world is the highest expression of God's being—man, whose origin and substance is God.
Christian Science shows the real man existing in the infinitude of divine Love and never outside the compass of this Love. As this perfect idea he is birthless, weightless, incorporeal, painless, ageless, deathless. He is continually unfolding his spiritual nature, the divine, perfect qualities with which he is endowed. There is no thought of evil to touch him in the amplitude of Love.
This Science teaches that we can depend on God in every detail of our life, to supply every need—mental, physical, economic. Because He is infinite, ever present, there is no place, no room, for any argument of limitation of strength, activity, intelligence, or supply of good.
Christ Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt. 6:33; Because he knew and trusted God, the necessary tax money appeared in an unusual, unplanned way. He possessed a seamless robe. He partook of fish and bread after the resurrection, although there is no record that he had taken human steps to procure them. These proofs were possible because of what he knew of the reality of infinite good.
Christian Science does not heal matter nor demonstrate material things, for from the standpoint of infinite Spirit there is neither matter nor any material thing. There are only spiritual ideas, and these are externalized, to human view, to meet the different human needs.
When one has the right idea, he has the reality itself. What is termed supply is the evidence of the presence of Mind and its ideas. Mrs. Eddy explains this seeming miracle: "God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies. Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment." Miscellaneous Writings, p. 307.
The increasing, expanding, spiritually scientific concept of infinity unfolds God as the source of all good, giving good to all. God is Love, reflecting Himself to Himself and His ideas. God, Love, Spirit, filling all space, makes it impossible for evil to have presence, occupy space, or be real. Following Mrs. Eddy's example, we cling to the sustaining intelligence, the sustaining law of Principle, the sustaining substance of Spirit, through trying testing times of our faith.
It is salutary to understand infinity—our starting point and staying point. Infinity is the source of our good, our life, and our being. Infinite good is our supply. It is natural to be in possession of good which is the evidence of God, Love, manifesting itself to us. Then from the standpoint of Love's infinitude it can be proved that no sense of limitation, deprivation, resistance, confusion, suffering, or frustration could possibly exist in boundless Love.
