As the departure date for a trip approached, the need to find healing for an illness felt urgent. In the Christian Science Bible Lesson that week, I found a simple, direct statement of Christian healing: “He [Jesus]stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them” (Luke 4:39).
For me, that phrase “he stood over her” described the presence of the Christ—not just a place where Jesus stood—attending to Peter’s mother-in-law. It also announced the authority the Christ brings to any situation. Mary Baker Eddy describes this in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness” (p. 332).
If someone in authority is speaking, you give your full attention. For me, that meant no more nagging thoughts like “When will I be out of this bed?” I needed to turn away from worry and listen only for God’s thoughts. Next came a question: When Jesus “stood over her,” did he see a sick mortal? Science and Health explains: “Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God’s own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick” (pp. 476–477). I saw that Jesus’ view of Peter’s mother-in-law enabled healing to occur. Here was further instruction: Accept the spiritual perspective. Drop the mortal view.
