It's never too late
THE heavy heart sighs with such a hopeless notion as, ``It's too late now.'' Perhaps that feeling is prompted by some apparently indelible deed that looks irreversible. Or by fear, because some disease seems beyond healing. Or by pain and disappointment, because broken relationships appear beyond mending. Maybe it seems that all possibilities for health and happiness are past. But it is never too late. In fact, there is no such thing as ``too late'' to God, divine Love. Powerful prayer to God for help isn't mere begging, fearfully hoping that God might see our terrible desperation and judge whether we deserve to have a better experience than we are having! This kind of view doesn't recognize God as infinite Love or perceive the true nature of God's creation, always prospering under His harmonious government.
Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes: ``If we pray to God as a corporeal person, this will prevent us from relinquishing the human doubts and fears which attend such a belief, and so we cannot grasp the wonders wrought by infinite, incorporeal Love, to whom all things are possible. Because of human ignorance of the divine Principle, Love, the Father of all is represented as a corporeal creator; hence men recognize themselves as merely physical, and are ignorant of man as God's image or reflection and of man's eternal incorporeal existence.''1
When we begin to glimpse God as divine Love, and begin to think of ourselves -- our real selves -- as God's spiritual image, we are actually able to experience tangible restoration, needed comfort and health. We begin to see living proof that ``with God all things are possible.''2 The more we identify ourselves spiritually instead of materially, and conform to that reality through ever-growing purity of thought, the more happiness and health become present realities rather than remote possibilities.
Sickness, poverty, loneliness, failure, are not God's will for man. These circumstances don't describe life as God has actually established it or as Christ Jesus understood it. His ministry was characterized by healing and restoration of those who came to him. He said, ``I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.''3 He also said, ``If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.''4 His disciples continued in the work their Master gave them, healing what would be considered hopeless cases of disease and restoring people's shattered lives ``in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.''5
The healing power of Christ, Truth, is still with us today. Christian Science helps us demonstrate this divine power and supports our desire to pray effectively.
Because God, the very Principle of the universe, is infinite and governs according to His immutable law of good at all times, without lapse, no one is beyond the jurisdiction of this law. No one can be left out. Divine Love does not operate according to whim or through partiality on behalf of certain favored ones. All of us, in truth, are God's children, equally treasured, and governed by His law of love. No exclusions. No exceptions. No limited time frame. Praying with this conviction, acting on this conviction, you can find your freedom!
1Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 13. 2Matthew 19:26. 3John 10:10. 4John 14:14. 5See Acts 3:6
Healing through prayer is explored in more detail in a weekly magazine, the Christian Science Sentinel. DAILY BIBLE VERSE: The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. Psalms 18:2,3
