The Scriptures are living words, and words to be lived. Their voice can't be locked into the past tense. To explore their spiritual meaning opens the heart to new possibilities. This column records insights for life that individuals have drawn from the Scriptures, including their study of the Bible Lessons presented in the Christian Science Quarterly.
Almost Every Day a word comes to me that I need to understand or live better, or a word that speaks of something that seems particularly absent from the world. Purity, honesty, harmony, supply, freedom, church, are some words that have come to thought for consideration. I think of the particular word, or idea, as I study the Bible Lesson and seek to understand its relation to God in every place that God is referred to. In this way I gain a new healing glimpse of its spiritual meaning, and I embrace myself, my family, community, or any specific world problems in what I am learning.
For example, one day I was disturbed about several issues having to do with immorality. I have a daughter who had just started college, and I had been made aware of some challenges to morality at her school. Also, I live in a college town where 10,000 of our town's 20,000 people are college students, and I am well aware of the challenges here. Furthermore, several bars offering adult entertainment had just opened in our community, and there was much concern among community members about this. So one day the word I gave thought to was purity.
Since God is totally pure and purity is inseparable from Him, every place the word God or one of His other names was used I also used the word purity. For example, the Psalms assured me, "The counsel of the Lord [of God's purity] standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations." Ps, 33:11 And First Chronicles left me with the glorious conviction "The Lord [God's purity] reigneth." I Chron. 16:31
Working with the Bible in this way showed me that purity is all that's going on in God's creation. Man, including everyone, is the very expression of God's purity. That would have to apply to me, my daughter and everyone else on her campus, our town's college, my community—all.
Immorality, loss of innocence, was a lie, a misconception about purity's all-presence. I could refuse to accept this lie and instead could understand and acknowledge, see and feel God's present purity expressed. With this new understanding, my concerns melted away. I felt new love and appreciation for college students. And as it turned out, our community set logical limits concerning adult entertainment.
As I study the Bible, I listen for Love's leading and find the needed bread for the day provided in exactly the way I can best digest it for that moment. The variety, spontaneity, flexibility, have brought a more consistent level of inspiration than I have experienced before. It has truly become a fun, fresh, meaningful adventure. An adventure that heals!
