Waking Up to God

How wonderful it would be to wake up happy each day. This would make quite a difference to us and to the world.

One day I heard a group of friends discussing what they did on waking each morning. One of them recommended deep breathing. Another did push-ups, and someone else jumped into the shower. Then one member of the group spoke up and said she always started her day by declaring, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." That's a verse from Psalms in the Bible (118:24). The comment created a stunned silence for a few moments. Then someone remarked that it came from a psalm, but added, "I never thought of using it like that." They all agreed, however, that this positive attitude made a lot of sense.

Why not wake up with joy? Why not wake with gratitude and rejoicing? You don't even have to get out of bed before you do it! Beginning your day by turning to God, you get out of bed on the right side. You fall into line with what is good, and feel better as a result. Turning to God is turning to the source of all good. Tuning in to Him is the most beneficial thing you can do.

Tuning, turning, falling into line, are ways of describing the lifting up of thought. In Bible language, it is praising and glorifying God's name. Imagine trying to dry your hair or boiling a kettle of water without plugging into the electrical current or the gas mains. It would be pretty pointless. Because God, divine Love, is the source of all happiness, health, and well-being -- all good -- we find true happiness only as we turn to Him. The time to start is right at the outset of the day.

The Bible says in the book of Isaiah, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters" (55:1). The "waters" of God's love are unfluctuating and unfailing. It is vital to be receptive to this fact, to draw near to Him, and to receive the thoughts and ideas that come from God.

Praising God is an effective way of drawing near Him. It is impossible to stay sad, lonely, or miserable when you're truly praising. This is because in praise we're actually magnifying what is good. The more you do this, the more you see good as something that does not fluctuate.

A book that elaborates on spiritual truths such as these is Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. It says on page 13, in reference to that verse from Isaiah, "Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals. It is the open fount which cries, 'Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.'" Praising God puts you at the fountainhead.

God is infinite -- infinite in abundance, infinite in joy, happiness, health. I was once told that if you were asked to go and collect water from the ocean, you wouldn't take a teacup, but instead the biggest receptacle you could find. That is because your expectations would be big. Waking up to God is waking up to the biggest of expectations.

Mrs. Eddy's discovery that anyone can learn to know God as Christ Jesus did -- Christian Science -- teaches that we are each God's reflection. It follows that all that God has, you have by reflection. Contrary to how it may appear, as God's reflection, you include the qualities of goodness, beauty, and peace. You stand at the threshold of opportunities for good. They are unlimited. God's plan is in force here and now, on your behalf. Your divine source is a source of blessing.

Claiming this is important. If we want something, we have to lay claim to it. How important to claim joy, claim happiness, claim well-being as ours from God. Our loving God wants nothing but good for us, and this activity cannot be successfully opposed. Jesus said that His Father always heard him. And God hears us, too. This becomes clear when we lift up our thoughts and find Him to be ever present. Jesus' expectancy of good was based on his understanding of God.

We can open our eyes to a tremendous spiritual fact: God is giving good to us every minute. Don't limit your expectations of God's goodness to a teacup; let praise for Him fill your heart to overflowing. Wake up to God today!

You can find in-depth articles about Christian Science in a monthly magazine, The Christian Science Journal.