Wednesday, November 18, 2009

"Lord,through this hour/Be Thou our Guide"

The devil will permit me to accept the notion that I am God's perfect spiritual reflection provided I continue to receive and read the business mail he sends to my address. There is no better time than now to send that foul stuff back to him stamped "Return to Sender". Even his tempting holiday specials with 0% APR for 60 months need to be rejected without even a curious peek at the exciting details. They may sound attractive, but so does a con man to a rube.

Some current tv ad slogans are worth thinking about vis-a-vis the Adversary's persistent appeals to "Come on down" as a car dealer used to say nightly. Two are from the same company, Capital One (credit cards), I think: "Don't leave home without it" and "What's in your wallet?" If I leave home without doing adequate protective work or without a solid spiritual sense of God with me, I'm leaving the mail box open to receive whatever the letter carrier, like the cat, brings. I'd also be foolish not to have God always in my mental wallet. I don't ever go out without my credit card, so why should I leave something vastly more important at home? Some of us might be chagrined to find out what is in our wallet (our consciousness) as we head out the door.

The third slogan is from an auto manufacturer, I think: "Expect more". I know, first, I need to expect more from myself. I can be a better Christian Scientist, a better healer, a better church member, and maybe even a better contributor to the periodicals. I can also rightly expect better from others and work to appreciate their sincere efforts to do good. Obviously, however, a tentative or doubting faith or expectation is not going to be a flood tide that will lift a Styrofoam cup. The needs of mankind, and even Christian Scientists are great, and, perforce, our prayerful work must be up to the need. "When the destination is desirable, expectation speeds our progress." (S&H 426: 8-9)

Note: The poem in the previous entry was a fresh effort. I do not intend for now to revisit earlier (sometimes rejected submissions to CSPS) poems, which go back now 10-15 years. For me, poetry is quite labor, and hence time, intensive. I'll see what the stork of inspiration brings.

23 comments:

Newport Beach, CA said...

Another fine blog posting, blogger. I concur with all you've said (and you say it so well!)

Yours, regularly said...

Nice little essay, as yours always are. And as to poems, I'll bet the stork brings more. I certainly hope so, as I'm hoping to write poems and can learn from studying yours I feel.

Like your blog said...

Fresh, not the same old stuff we're used to seeing re: CS.
Give us more like this one.

Thanks from Ohio said...

Dear Favorite Blogger,
You'll really putting them out here, and I'm glad we're getting such first-rate writing.

CS (Texas) said...

I was about to comment on your poem, when I saw this. Like them both. You make solid points in your poem, and in this latest.
Appreciate your using your talent the way you are.

A Brit said...

If you keep blogging, I'll probably say this many times more, but I find your essays quite helpful. And I thank you for sharing your inspiration with us.

Anonymous said...

Another winner. Love the title you've chosen, most inspiring.
Thanks much,

L. R. said...

I'm looking forward to more poetic offerings from you, blogger. So listen quietly. I'm sure you'll be inspired with more worthwhile lines.
Enjoyed this blog post.

West Coast CS said...

Not only a person of talent, but a prolific writer as well.
Nice!

Not far from Boston said...

Love the message in the title you chose. We do need God with us each and every hour. That is, we need to be aware that He is everpresent, couldn't get away from Him if we wanted to.

Eric said...

You're the best around. And speaking of poetry, who are your favorites? Of course, I get inspiration from what our Leader wrote. But on the secular side, I like Rilke and e.e.cummings.
Write more yourself.

Anon still said...

Are you contributing to the periodicals? You said you can be a better contributor. I haven't noticed any writing like yours in them. Curious. Though I only look through the Sentinel and Journal now and then.

R. S. said...

A previous someone mentioned becoming aware of God's presence with us. This is what I'm most grateful to CS for, that I'm learning to look to God for help in daily life, in physical challenges. This means so much to me.
Like your blog.

Best from VA said...

Being a fan of your good writing, hope you'll be thinking of posting more poems. I'm getting interested a little myself in trying some poetry, and think you'll be help to me in this direction.

Toronto CS said...

I enjoy what you're posting for us. Quite fresh, certainly original Christian Science writing. Don't see this anywhere else.

Susan said...

Hi there,
Know what this said to me? The importance of establishing a sense of God's allness before we go out the door each time.
There's just too much coming at us these days, and we must do "our protective work" as you say.
Thanks...

D. L. said...

Nice blog post. Something I like to hold in thought when I go out is this from Genesis 21:22: "God is with thee in all that thou doest."

Anonymous said...

From whence your title? A hymn? Inspiring essay and I appreciate what you are doing to help students of Christian Science.
Keep it going.

Best from California said...

This website is well worth my time checking it out. I think you write extremely well. But then, you obviously are a clear, good metaphysician.

Florida student of Science said...

You've presented a lot of helpful thoughts to help students overcome mortal mind's attempts to make us think God isn't all in all. Always a bald-faced lie.
God bless all your giving,

Northeast said...

You are so good at this blogging on Christian Science topics, and I look forward to many more enlightening essays.
Many thanks,

Layfayette, LA said...

It might help your readers to know that I'm finding a lot of comfort and sense of God's nearness from my reading of the Psalms. Am going straight through and oh the uplift!
Like your blog a lot.

Kenneth (OR) said...

Posting comment on this one re: the poem you put on. Very nice, and I'd like to see more when you get a visit from the stork.