SECURITY

In the sixth chapter of II Kings is given the account of how a certain host of enemies of Elisha surrounded him in the village of Dothan "both with horses and chariots" to capture him. His servant Gehazi was very much frightened, and in desperation asked, "Alas, my master! how shall we do?" To Gehazi the situation surely must have seemed hopeless, but Elisha calmly said, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." This was not a command imposed by Elisha on someone of lesser rank; it was an immediate declaration of sublime faith in the omnipotence and everpresence of God, a declaration of confident knowledge that divine Love is always active and always present—always the unperturbed master of any situation. Then Elisha prayed, and instead of his enemies laying hold on him, "behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" in perfect protection.

This calm dependence on the presence of God in the face of imminent danger was not something acquired at that moment by the prophet. For a very long time he had been studying and demonstrating the ready power of God to heal, preserve, and bless. His unruffled assurance was reached through the constant practice of relying on God in every circumstance, and this reliance had been rewarded many times in his life.

Consider the plight of the children of Israel fleeing from the Egyptians, as related in Exodus. Egypt was a rich and powerful nation by all the material standards of her time, and so had an army well equipped with the best weapons then known. By contrast, the Israelites were probably unarmed, had no adequate transportation, and were encumbered by their families, domestic equipment, and slow-moving cattle. Further, they seemed to be most effectively prevented from escape by the Red Sea. Theirs indeed were sorry circumstances according to all physical testimony.

Nevertheless Moses, their leader, had felt as secure in his knowledge of the power and continuous presence of God as later did Elisha. To those gathered around Moses, apprehensive and terrified because of what seemed like an inescapable disaster, he also gave strengthening reassurance (Ex. 14:13, 14): "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." How surprised the Israelites must have been at that statement! The waters parted, the Israelites crossed the Red Sea upon the dry ground and the Egyptian warriors, with their horses, chariots, and weapons, were seen "no more for ever." There was no compromise in those words "for ever."

We sometimes approach a situation which has the physical or mental aspect of defeat, and, victimized by worry, annoyance, apprehension, or fright, wonder what we can possibly do to stave off or at least soften failure or harm. We wish most earnestly for someone in whose judgment we might have absolute confidence, so that we could ask, "How shall we do?"

Recently, such a circumstance faced this student of Christian Science. There had occurred a destructive explosion, for reasons which were completely obscure. The whole reputation and professional standing of this student depended on the success of the investigation he was commissioned to undertake, for two such investigations already had been made by very competent authorities, who had been unable to draw any conclusions or even advance a tenable theory. One outstanding complication was that the matter was now two years past and all physical evidence long since had been obliterated. Materially, there was every reason to think that there was nothing to be met but humiliating failure.

The two instances cited of God's providence were pondered long. Just how did God speak to man? The statement on page 332 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy seemed to answer that: "Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness;" also, on the following page: "Throughout all generations both before and after the Christian era, the Christ, as the spiritual idea,—the reflection of God,—has come with some measure of power and grace to all prepared to receive Christ, Truth." These two statements appeared to be the key to the marvelous works of the incomparable Jesus: and did he not assure us that we, as his disciples, should also have access to all knowledge?

Prepared with that very assuring train of logic, the writer discarded completely the proceedings of the two previous investigations. In consequence, effort was led along totally different paths of inquiry. The hidden reasons for the explosion were brought to light in a matter of hours, and their elimination was effected almost at once. Again had been demonstrated the security vouchsafed a servant of divine Principle. Again it was proved that if the desire is right the fulfillment can be found through Christian Science, which not only establishes the unreality of any evil or hurt, but also equips one to bring out that fact with confident facility.

This assured ability to overcome difficulties and to replace evil with good is as present and usable at this moment as it was in the instances cited. These were not instances of dispensation showing special favor or obtained by personal merit. They were evidences of the universal law established for eternity in the divine creation. Since man, God's image, is created spiritually, his heritage of the peace and well-being of God, as His reflection, never is changed. The universal government of all-embracing good is, has been, and always will be ours individually and collectively, because God is eternal. Mrs. Eddy states in her spiritual interpretation of the last line of the Lord's Prayer (ibid., p. 17), "For God is infinite, all-power, all Life, Truth, Love, over all, and All." Our understanding and demonstration of this law of security will multiply our blessings and heighten our spiritual attainments.

One of our hymns sums it up this way: