Christ Jesus instructed his followers: “When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:6). Jesus then gave what is well-known to Christians as the Lord’s Prayer.
In the textbook of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, a steadfast follower of Jesus, wrote: “The closet typifies the sanctuary of Spirit, the door of which shuts out sinful sense but lets in Truth, Life, and Love.” She further stated, “The Master’s injunction is, that we pray in secret and let our lives attest our sincerity” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 15).
Such prayer is powerful at any time of the day, but each morning when I wake up, I find it so helpful to devote some specific time to prayer. First thing. This makes praying a priority before I begin any to-do list. I’m going into my mental closet to establish the day on a solid spiritual foundation. Not surprisingly, as a result of quietly turning to God right away, my thinking remains poised for the unfoldment of God’s goodness, which includes bringing solutions to problematic circumstances that might arise during the day.
Eddy knew the significance of praying for oneself and fervently urged her followers to do so. In her Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, she wrote what I like to think of as one of the “how-to-do’s” in the practice of Christian Science: “One thing I have greatly desired, and again earnestly request, namely, that Christian Scientists, here and elsewhere, pray daily for themselves; not verbally, nor on bended knee, but mentally, meekly, and importunately” (p. 127).
Although I continue with study of the Bible and Eddy’s writings and prayer throughout the day, my morning time devoted specifically to prayer is a kind of launching pad for trusting in my God-given ability to see good and harmony in my healing practice of Christian Science.
Praying first thing in the morning, however, isn’t based on ritual or undergirded by some kind of formula, nor is it a mere repetition of upbeat and positive words. The ideas that come to thought are fresh “angel messages” directly from God (see Science and Health, p. 581).
Science and Health gives us the following Bible-based synonyms for God, which help to expand our concept of Him: Life, Truth, Love, Spirit, Soul, Mind, and Principle. During my morning prayer time, I often cherish one or more of these synonyms and focus on them as a metaphysical basis and framework in prayer for myself and others.
One morning I wrote down some specific prayerful ideas based on these expanded concepts of God; ideas based on divine laws that I could claim, affirm, and be conscious of as reality, and which pointed to my own perfect oneness with God. And, I realized this unity with God is true for everyone; every child, man, and woman is created as God’s likeness and expresses and manifests spiritual, God-derived qualities.
I felt inspired by the idea that, because God is Spirit, Life, man as the reflection of God embodies health, peace, and joy. And, therefore, I have dominion to dismiss any false suggestions that would claim I or anybody else is subject to pain or contagion or lack. In truth, disease and discord have no place in anyone’s body or experience!
On another morning, I first began thinking about God as Principle and divine Love. I realized that this was a kind of recipe to be nonjudgmental, as well as forgiving of others when wronged. Why? Because there can’t be any resentment, rifts, or alienation in the kingdom of Love. So I can experience and feel the love of Love, the divine law of Principle expressed in compassion, tenderness, patience.
Another morning I spent time claiming that because man is coexistent and coeternal with God as Truth, any action or activity taking place that day had to coincide with what is true in all God’s creation: harmony. Furthermore, thoughts from the one Mind are Godlike and include clarity, precision, and wisdom in any decisions I may need to make.
Something else I’ve found helpful and relevant to my morning prayer is what Eddy designated the “Daily Prayer” as part of guidance for members of The Church of Christ, Scientist: “ ‘Thy kingdom come;’ let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin; and may Thy Word enrich the affections of all mankind, and govern them!” (Church Manual, p. 41).
The claiming, acceptance, and unfolding of prayerful ideas can restore, renew, heal, regenerate, and transform thought and action as needed. The first stanza of Hymn 287 in the Christian Science Hymnal conveys another way to think about the significance of praying in the morning:
Prayer with our waking thought
ascends,
Great God of light, to Thee;
Darkness is banished in the glow
Of Thy reality.
(Edith Gaddis Brewer, © CSBD)
Prayer opens up a kind of mental reservoir of truthful ideas. My heart swells with gratitude in the presence of Life, Truth, Love, when I pray in the morning—first thing!
