“When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling steadfastly to God and His idea. Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought” (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 495).
This statement is a favorite of mine. The word cling conjures up images of socks stuck together, fresh out of the clothes dryer, illustrating static electricity in action. Or in a more serious way, the statement makes me think of someone in a raging river, clinging to a rock for safety. To me the word cling means to hang on tight until help arrives. In the Student’s Reference Dictionary, the word cling means, “to adhere closely and firmly, in interest or affection.”
The statement from Science and Health about “clinging steadfastly” explains that when faced with a challenge, we can firmly and affectionately adhere to the truth of our being as God’s likeness. Mrs. Eddy goes on to say that we should “Let Christian Science, instead of corporeal sense, support your understanding of being, and this understanding will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence discord with harmony” (p. 495).
