Running a little late one morning years ago, I sat down to quickly read the weekly Bible Lesson from the Christian Science Quarterly, hoping to glean an inspiring idea to take to work with me. The Lesson included the story of Daniel thrown into a lions’ den for his refusal to stop praying to God. “Well,” I thought, “I can skip over this story. I know it already.”
Immediately, a better thought came:
“If you’re being tempted to skip over this part of the Lesson, there’s probably something you need to learn from it.” So, I read the story thoughtfully, and it was amazing how completely new Daniel’s experience in the lions’ den seemed to me! I saw several points made about Daniel’s steadfast and faithful commitment to God, and how that kept him safe.
After pondering these new ideas, I asked God, “But what does this have to do with me today? I’m never going to be thrown into a den of lions.”
Immediately an answer came: “Michele, aren’t you thrown into a mental den of lions every day? Isn’t there a lion of lack? A lion of fear? A lion of sickness? A lion of frustration?” Suddenly, I could see that, indeed, mortal mind—a supposititious mentality opposed to God—presents these “lions” as real threats. But, in fact, they are powerless because lack, fear, sickness, and frustration have no real law—no divine reality—behind them. Nothing in God’s creation can become something opposite to God. All creation consists of His ideas, which are spiritual, holy, and harmless.
Those few moments opened up a whole new world for me. The Bible became more alive and relevant to me. Since then I’ve loved my daily study of the Bible and can always see how its spiritual truths apply to me that day. The Bible, along with the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, provides the basis for the healing work I do as a Christian Science practitioner, and I love the poetic beauty and practicality of its messages.
Daily reading of the Bible Lesson is the foundation for all of my other study regarding the practice of Christian Science. I’ve found that no matter what I might be facing on a particular day—an important decision, needing a healing idea to resolve a problem, or any of the other challenges that may rise up—there’s always an answer or healing idea in the Lesson. It is a fount of inspiration and wisdom, lifting my thought out of problems to a higher view of God’s ever-present love and infinite goodness, which heals any suggestion of discord.
Those few moments opened up a whole new world for me. The Bible became more alive and relevant to me.
Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, emphasized the crucial importance of the Lesson in her Church Manual when she required that “the Readers of The Mother Church and of all its branch churches must devote a suitable portion of their time to preparation for the reading of the Sunday lesson,—a lesson on which the prosperity of Christian Science largely depends” (p. 31).
The study of the Lesson supports the prosperity of Christian Science by deepening our knowledge and understanding of both the Bible and Science and Health, which explain how to heal using the rules of Christ’s Christianity. The Lesson always seems to include at least one healing by Jesus. This supplies us with practical proof of his teachings and the spiritual truth that brought about the healing. Thus, we are equipped to practice these rules for ourselves and the world.
Beginning our day with prayerful study of the Lesson acts as a shield, defending our right to feel divine Love’s ever-presence throughout the day. When those “lions” present a fearful view, we can readily access an answer from the Lesson that deprives fear of any power to disturb our sense of God’s natural order of peace and harmony.
Recently, the insight I received regarding Daniel in the lions’ den came to my rescue when I found myself in a hospital emergency room after a car accident. It was noisy and unsettling, and I was in pain as I was poked and prodded for signs of injury.
After an hour or so, when I reached out in prayer for some sense of peace, Daniel and the lions came to my thought. I realized that in that dire circumstance, somehow Daniel had to have felt the presence of Love, God. No sooner did I think of that than I was aware of Love filling all space; I was surrounded by a gentle presence and promise that all was well. This increased my faith in God’s tender care for me and each one as His spiritual child. I quickly told the doctor that I wanted to go home and was released to the care of my family.
Although at first it was difficult to put weight on one leg, I felt a calm trust in God’s ever-present care promised in my daily study of the Bible Lesson. A favorite Bible verse played an instrumental role in my healing: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33). This verse had already grown in meaning over the years. Long ago when I read the verse, it felt flat. I knew I wasn’t capturing the spiritual sense of the message. But I sincerely wanted to, so I patiently waited for deeper understanding. Soon I saw it as metaphorically describing a bottomless well filled with infinite healing ideas. I could draw from that well 24/7 forever and it would never run out!
The well had met my needs for a long time, but now as I was praying to see my true identity as intact and uninjured, I needed something deeper, and I got it. I saw the verse as describing an infinite ocean of healing messages, and I was swimming in it! This new, inspired view helped bring healing. Within a few weeks all pain disappeared and I was able to walk normally.
This illustrates the depth of the Bible and why we study and read a passage over and over. If we open our heart to its ever-expanding spiritual meaning, a well-loved verse can infuse our prayers with new and uplifting ideas that bless and heal.
We can be so grateful for Mrs. Eddy’s wisdom in establishing the Bible Lesson as the sermon for Christian Science Sunday services as well as our daily individual nourishment. A fount of inspiration, the Lesson exemplifies that beloved verse, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”
