The power of plenty

When God "makes" the sports page, it's religious news, too! This happened recently when Atlanta Falcons quarterback Steve Bartkowski gave faith in God credit for help on the field. Quoting Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you," Bartkowski said, "Last year the Lord added two running backs." n1

n1 Oklahoma City Times,m December 1, 1980.

Now that Christmas bills are due and tax time is upon us, some may wonder if the Lord can add greenbacks as well as running backs and "make" the financial page as well. Surely it's not unreasonable to think that the laws of God can balance supply and demand.

Actually, since God is infinite and also good, then, in spiritual reality, good is more than plenteous; good is All-in-all. Divine plenitude precludes lack. The Godlike man of His creating fully reflects the spiritual quantities and qualities of God -- power and plenty not excepted.

Because God is omnipotent, unchanging Life and Love, He is able to do much more than supply human needs. He decrees progressive prosperity. To all who align themselves with the power of spiritual plenty by diligently observing God's commands, the writer of Deuteronomy promises: "The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods . . . ." n2

n2 Deuteronomy 28:11.

But heaven is not a bonanza of this world's goods that we can complain or scheme our way into. Heaven is divine consciousness -- harmonious, uncomplaining, immortal thoughts. As our thoughts move from fear to faith and from doubt to duty, we approach through righteousness the kingdom of God, alias total goodness.

The clear understanding and pure obedience of Christ Jesus made his words and works a transparency for the kingdom of heaven he entertained in his thoughts. He enforced freely the divine necessity for plenty that stultifies the deception of lack. From a store that would fill only scantily one picnic basket, he fed five thousand hungry people and then counted twelve basketfuls of leftovers.

We too can tap the plenitude of divine power and realize the power of spiritual plenty to supersede insufficiency; but not as a mere psychic phenomenon can good be demonstrated. Whatever our need, our faith in God, advanced to faithful practice of His laws, will bring relief and restoration. We can be free from cycles of boom and bust, recession and recovery, in proportion as we emerge from faith that fluctuates between the prime rate and the primal creator into permanent persuasion of God's, good's, allness.

A demonstrable conviction of inexhaustible divine substance grows out of a cultivated spiritual sense, in proportion as we choose to see, hear, feel, know, and express the presence of good. The self- defeating deception of material loss and gain will seem to fluctuate until it fades entirely. The Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, explains, "Passions, selfishness, false appetites, hatred, fear, all sensuality, yield to spirituality, and the superabundance of being is on the side of God, good." n3

n3 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,m p. 201.

The growing energies of spiritual conviction cannot be constrained. When we know without doubt that there is plenty of good and plenty of power to manifest that good, then, right at the standpoint that we call need, the substance of abundance will continually appear. People and nations that faithfully worship God claim His promise to ancient Zion: "I will abundantly bless her provision." n4

n4 Psalms 132:15.

What God promises, He bountifully fulfills. In His plenitude there is no stratum of poverty, no unemployment of divine aptitudes. Can any pile of debts outweigh the infinite substance of Spirit? Can any debtor evade or outwit the inexorable divine intelligence that balances service with gratitude?

When we develop our trust, understanding, and practice of righteousness, we spiritually awake to realize that God's goodness substantiates our very being, invests us with knowledge of our wholeness, credits us with holy assurance of our invulnerable security, and enriches us with unmistakable evidence of our completeness. What more could we want or need? DAILY BIBLE VERSE Our sufficien cy is of God. II Corinthians 3:5