Just Like God

Taking a spiritual look at events and issues of special interest to young people.

You might be told you're just not quite old enough to understand something. Or you're not quite strong enough to do something. Or you might think you're not good enough to do the right thing all the time.

But those are all mistakes about you, me, or anyone. You don't need to believe them for one minute. If you understand something about God's nature, and how He created you, you can see just why this is the case.

It is our right to get to know God-and to be good, just as He is. The Bible says that. In the very first chapter of the very first book, it says that God created us in His own image (see Genesis 1:27). You can think of an image as a reflection. When you stand in front of a mirror, the image, or reflection, is just like you. It can't have a frown if you're smiling. It can't be waving if your hands are still. In the same way, you can think of yourself as being just as good as God is. What is God like? He is all good, and sends forth only good. God gives all His good without even a tiny speck of evil or darkness. God is Love, and His love is so big that He loves every one of us, all the time. God is the supreme intelligence that is all-knowing and makes no mistakes.

Christ Jesus, who knew God better than anyone else ever has, taught that we are good, just as God is good, because we reflect God. He not only taught that, but he lived in a way that showed what it means, so that we can learn to live that way, too. His thoughts were always right, because he let God's ideas come to him and inspire him.

Jesus knew that we can't do anything without God. That would be like a reflection appearing in a mirror and moving or speaking without anyone standing in front of that mirror! That's impossible. Jesus said: "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise" (John 5:19).

Because Jesus understood that nothing good can be accomplished without God, he always knew exactly what to do and say. He never got paralyzed by fear, and he always had all the power and dominion he needed in every situation. Look through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and you'll see that his reliance on God resulted in his ability to heal people and to help them live better lives.

The law of God, Christian Science, explains why and how Jesus could heal and save people. It has helped many people know God better. Christian Science was discovered by Mary Baker Eddy, who wrote a book that shows how we can all follow God. This book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, says that one of the ways to know God is as the infinite, supreme intelligence-the divine Mind. The book says, "When man is governed by God, the ever-present Mind who understands all things, man knows that with God all things are possible" (p. 180). This divine Mind, which doesn't make mistakes or feel afraid, is the only Mind-our Mind.

I had to learn that thoughts come only from God. In a math test I had to take, there were only two problems, but they were long and very hard-you had to work them out in steps. Well, I panicked because I had no idea how to begin. I sat there paralyzed with fear.

Finally I remembered what I'd learned from Christian Science about God as Mind-that Mind had to be right there with me, because God was there. I didn't really have my own little, separate mind that could go blank.

When I started thinking about God, the first thing was that I stopped watching the clock. Then I began to feel more calm and much less afraid. I felt God's presence right there with me. I went back to my paper and read the problems again. This time I could see the first step to take. I carefully worked out that part. Then I was able to see the next step. I did this work step by step, until I had worked through both problems. I was so grateful to God.

I did very well on the test, but I was even more happy that I had understood and proved that God was guiding me and always would.

We can all be like God, good-that is, Godlike. In fact, because God is All, there is really nothing else to be like.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
QR Code to Just Like God
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/1996/0611/061196.home.relarticle.1.html
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe