Churches of Christ, Scientist, situated in communities where there have been a number of violent crimes have sometimes organized committees to pray about this problem from the standpoint of Christian Science. The question presents itself, Is such a committee praying because of fear for the safety of the church members, or is it praying to rejoice in the omnipresent reign of all-loving divine Principle and its harmonious government of all being?
There is a world of difference between the two approaches. The first way is a way of fear, fear motivated. And Mrs. Eddy tells us: "Christian scientific practice begins with Christ's keynote of harmony, 'Be not afraid!' Said Job: 'The thing which I greatly feared is come upon me.'" Science and Health, pp. 410-411;
The second way is that of joyful realization—of perceiving the spiritual counter fact of the problem and affirming the power of a loving God to govern all being harmoniously.
A search of the Concordances to Mrs. Eddy's writings indicates that she has given us several important guidelines for prayer. These are most helpful to work with every morning in addition to the Lord's Prayer, which was left for us by Christ Jesus. Why do we work with these each day? Is it just through blind obedience to our Leader's instructions? Blind obedience would not be enough. There must be a reason for the faith that is in us.
If we are just going through these prayers and doing our so-called "protective work" because we are afraid that otherwise we might get into some trouble, afraid of what might happen to us or to the world if we didn't faithfully pray, then our motive is not as pure as it should be. We need to handle, that is, destroy, fear, rather than let it determine our standpoint.
But if we aren't to do our prayerful work for fear of what would happen if we failed to do it, why should we do it? Because of the good that unfolds as we dwell with God, the source of all good. As Mrs. Eddy says, "The unerring and fixed Principle of all healing is God; and this Principle should be sought from the love of good, from the most spiritual and unselfish motives." Miscellaneous Writings, p. 232;
We aren't to work for fear of the evil that would happen if we didn't work, but because of the love of the good that blossoms when we do our praying rightly. This is the spiritual motive for our daily prayers both for ourselves and for the world.
We learn by experience in living Christian Science that if we fall ill or are injured in any way, we need to pray in order to be healed spiritually. But if we are going to be obedient to Mrs. Eddy's injunction to start our prayer by overcoming fear, then we certainly shouldn't work because we are afraid that if we didn't the illness or injury would get worse. That would be indulging fear!
No, we work because we need and love to draw closer in thought to God, to become more consciously aware of His eternal presence and power and love for us. Aware of the abundant good that our Father-Mother God is always pouring out to us because He loves us so tenderly, constantly, and completely. As Christ Jesus said, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32;
We can see that if someone calls and asks us for help in Christian Science and it seems to be a desperate case, we would pray most earnestly. But not because we are afraid of what would happen if we didn't pray, or didn't pray well enough. Or because we are afraid of what would happen if we weren't able to rise above the very fear we were indulging! Rather we would pray rejoicing in the good that God is always unfolding for His beloved children—the good that we need only open our eyes and our heart to recognize and accept and enjoy.
Not long after this line of thought had opened up, a friend of mine, a Christian Science practitioner, had an experience very much in point. Her granddaughter was due to give birth to a child, and she had asked my friend to serve as the practitioner on the case. The young mother had been in labor for about twenty-four hours, and the doctor who was attending her had just sent out word that the situation was so grave that he didn't know whether either the mother or the baby would survive. He felt it necessary to operate in an effort to save the mother and, if possible, the child.
My friend was concerned that her own dear love for her grandchild was interfering with her prayers, was making her too concerned to reason clearly and effectively. She determined to adopt the standpoint of this more positive motivation for prayer. She took the stand that the work in Christian Science for this case must not be because of fear that the mother or the baby or both would die if the treatment were not done or were not done well enough. The work was not for fear of death but for love of Life. Because it is so wonderful that God really is Life, really is our Life. Really is all Life.
It gave her deep and abiding joy to know that the young mother could never lose her life, because God was her Life and she couldn't lose God. God is infinite Life, and therefore all of Life is ever present, everywhere, always. Can never be lost. Is always right here.
She could see that the work in Christian Science was not for fear that a physical body had exhausted its strength. The prayer was to rejoice that the inexhaustible resources of infinite Mind were everywhere present and always available. The prayer was for joy to see the divine energies of Spirit made manifest.
The doctor felt it necessary to go ahead with his preparation for the operation. Just as he was about to begin operating, the baby was born gently, normally, and naturally. Both the mother and child were well and happy.
Now we can see more clearly that our prayers must not be for fear of what might happen but for joy for the good that God is always giving us and everyone. Mrs. Eddy puts it so concisely and clearly: "It is the love of God, and not the fear of evil, that is the incentive in Science." Mis., p. 279. And the realization and acceptance of this incandescent truth help us to see that an active, busy, healing practice of Christian Science is never a heavy, burdensome practice. Rather it is an abundance of joy, a constant thrill to realize and witness the infinite good that God is always pouring out as the very nature of all being.
Christian Science is not just a helpful panacea, a blessed relief from the myriad ills of a miserable world, a large-scale, mental medicine chest for a troubled planet. Rather is it an angel not only of mercy and deliverance but of hope and joyful realization. It doesn't just shut the door on disease, sin, death, and all the misery of mortality. It opens it wide to the beauties and the joys of spiritual existence right here where we seem to be. It lifts our consciousness of being from the illusion that we are little mortals flickering for a moment in a brief flash of existence on a small planet called Earth, circling an insignificant Sun in a far corner of just one of perhaps billions of galaxies in a frighteningly vast material universe. Instead it leads us to the wondrous glory that our real selfhood, as the individual manifestation of the infinite Principle, Love, is always in the presence of God.
Our daily prayers, our metaphysical work, is not for fear of what might happen but for joy of the infinite good that divine Love is unfolding. The Lord's Prayer and every prayer that Mrs. Eddy has given us has this soaring significance. Try it and see.
