He shows us how to go
WHEN we rely wholeheartedly on God's law of divine order and perfect provision, we find direction in even the simplest activities in our lives. The wisdom of God, who is infinite Mind, is sufficient to lead us out of harm's way, to provide for every need, and to guide our steps.
This lesson was brought home to me during a recent visit to England. Although it may seem a simple experience, prayer enabled me to learn something more about the immediate practicality of trusting in God as we go about our day-to-day living.
My aunt and I were scheduled one morning to take the 8:05 train from London to Bath. From our hotel, Paddington Station was only one underground stop away. My aunt was ready to go very early, so she freely went on her way at her own pace. We had found that the underground train ran every couple of minutes, so I was sure I had plenty of time to spare when I left the hotel a little later.
As I made my way down to the underground platform, I began, for some reason, to feel uneasy. The opening words of one of Mary Baker Eddy's n1 most loved poems came to mind: ''Shepherd, show me how to go.'' n2 That morning my prayer was not only a request that God guide me on my way, but the heartfelt affirmation that the one Shepherd, divine Mind, does indeed show us how to go. As the Psalmist says, ''It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.'' n3 When God directs, it is always in a way of safety and security. With this realization I felt the peace that comes when a spiritual idea is recognized and accepted as truth.
n1 The Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.
n2 Poems, p. 14.
n3 Psalms 18:32.
However, after we had waited for over twenty minutes for a train, it was plain to all that something had gone wrong. None of us on the platform knew what the trouble was. Because of the threat of terrorist bombings, there are posters in the London underground telling what to do in case of an emergency. When alarms began sounding, I waited quietly with the others. I prayed to know what to do, with a deep commitment to see that God, in His infinite wisdom, was caring for us all. Knowing that the Christ-power, expressing God's omnipotence, was sufficient to save the day, I also refused to admit to defeat.
Surely, others too must have prayed to feel God's guidance and to see the reign of harmony. And inharmony and disarray recede where there is an understanding of God, divine Principle, the origin of the true law that orders the universe.
Finally the alarm bells stopped and a train arrived.At 8:04 it deposited us at Paddington Station. With one minute and several flights to go, I sprinted up the stairs. I stepped onto the Bath train literally as it pulled out of the station. Another couple jumped on after me.
As we made our way to the car reserved for the tour, I thanked God for His unerring direction and care. My aunt was amazed, exclaiming that it was impossible for me to be there. She said that when she had reached Paddington Station on the tube, there were repeated announcements that the train she took would be the last to arrive that morning because of a problem on the line.
It had seemed impossible to my aunt that I could make the Bath train on time-even had I proceeded some other way. But Christian Science teaches that as we relinquish merely human maneuvering and begin to realize that God's will for us is always good, our lives naturally reflect more of the divine order of God's creation. And God's law ensures that rightful activity proceeds to fruition unhampered by circumstances, chance, or the strictures of time.
It may seem a small thing to make a train. Yet to feel the safety and certainty of God's direction is never insignificant. And it was encouraging to see the evidence that practical blessings do derive from understanding-even in a degree that God, divine Spirit, guards and guides the family of man. Truly He shows us how to go. DAILY BIBLE VERSE The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. . . . The law of God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. Psalms 37:23,31
