God's provision for all

THERE are many sad inequities in the world. Some people are living in great physical deprivation, while others have vast material wealth. For many it may seem utopian to expect a society in which everyone has equal opportunity and no one is in need. But there is a way by which we each can find our needs cared for. Throughout the ages, those who have understood that God is the omnipotent and ever-at-hand source of inexhaustible good have found their needs met in remarkable ways. Take, for instance, the experience of the Israelites when under Moses' inspired leadership they embarked on their journey out of slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. During forty years in the wilderness the people were fed. They discovered manna on the ground, fresh every morning. Moses told them to gather this each day, according to their needs, taking a double portion only in preparation for the Sabbath. Those who took little had enough, and those who took larger amounts had no surplus. The supply and the need were kept in perfect balance. But those who were tempted to doubt God's ability or willingness to continue this daily outpouring, and were driven by fear or greed to hoard, found that the manna rotted.1

We are all God's beloved children, and it is the nature of divine Love to bless its offspring. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes: ``God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies. Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment.''2

This Love, which is the very source of our being, is incapable of withholding good from any one of us, but we need to open our hearts to accept God as Love, acknowledging Him as omnipresent, all-powerful, and utterly good. As we begin to understand our true relationship to Him -- begin to see that we're not in reality deprived mortals, separate from our creator but rather His blessed spiritual offspring -- we progressively lose the fear that we can lack any good. We let go of any desire to make the accumulation of material wealth and possessions our main goal in life. We relax into the security of recognizing that God is our eternally loving Father-Mother.

You may be thinking, ``That's all very comforting, but can it really have any practical effect in my circumstances, when I'm constantly struggling to make ends meet?''

When the birth of my first child was near, I had very little money and my life was in total disarray. One day, in tears and near desperation, I turned wholeheartedly in prayer to God, asking, ``Father, show me what to do.'' Opening the Christian Science textbook by Mrs. Eddy, I saw the words ``Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need.''3

With a tremendous sense of relief, I simply put down the fear of not being able to care for my child and left future events in God's hands. A few minutes later I received a telephone message, asking me to visit someone I had not met before. This dear woman gave me a basket filled with everything I needed for my baby's arrival. From that time on, as I continued praying earnestly for a deeper understanding of the nature of God as Love, learning more of His unstoppable goodness, I found stability in my life.

St. Paul told the Corinthians, ``I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: as it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.''4

Paul's words point to the divine reality of God's impartial, loving provision for all His offspring. Even in the most challenging circumstances we can prove something of that spiritual truth and find our needs appropriately and amply cared for.

1See Exodus 16:11-35. 2Miscellaneous Writings, p. 307. 3Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 494. 4II Corinthians 8:13-15.

You can find more articles like this one in the Christian Science Sentinel, a weekly magazine. DAILY BIBLE VERSE: The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works...Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. Psalms 145:9,16