The source of our mobility

More than once in the Old Testament the concept of mobility is depicted by the simile found in this verse from Habakkuk: ''The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet.''n1

n1 Habakkuk 3:19.

It is natural for a deer to express strength, flexibility, and agility. And these qualities are natural for us, too. But they don't really originate in bones and muscles, or in the use of them. Rather, they're derived from God, Spirit.

Man's actual identity, unseen by the physical senses, is spiritual, the image of God, as the Bible teaches. Man reflects the strength, freedom, and dominion of the divine nature. As we come to understand this spiritual fact, we'll increasingly experience it; we'll prove that strength and dominion are inherent in man and are undiminishing.

Walking is really evidence of a spiritual truth. Just as a little child has to discover and exercise his human sense of mobility, we all need to discover the true, spiritual source of mobility and see that our capacity to stand, balance, walk, run, is not really dependent on matter but on the truth of divine Spirit's unceasing action. When thought is lifted up to a spiritual understanding of God and man, the perfect control of Spirit is felt, and our freedom and usefulness can assuredly be proved. Spiritual understanding, which all may cultivate, enables us to go forward and prove the dominion of God's perfect man, our true selfhood.

It is right to maintain our bodies in good condition - servants, not masters. But to do this most effectively we need progressively to give up the belief that matter is our true substance or source of action, and see that substance and action are actually spiritual, the outcome of Spirit. We need to deny that we can be victims of weakness, injury, disease, and to see that our true identity as God's likeness expresses the perfection and power of God.

Christ Jesus healed many who were lame. He said to the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda, ''Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.''n2 And the man did just that.

Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered and founded Christian Science, observes, ''The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus' time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation.''n3

n2 John 5:8.

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

I had an opportunity to prove this several years ago when I found myself in bed with a dislocated ankle. Wanting to be healed in Christian Science, I asked for help through prayer from a Christian Science practitioner. Two evenings later, after much study and prayer, my thinking had risen to a higher concept of selfhood and freedom. I began to discern the true nature of activity and movement as wholly spiritual, and in some measure I was seeing myself as the perfect spiritual image of God. This higher concept stayed with me, and I experienced the healing power of the eternal Christ, Truth. The bone went back in place, the leg stretched out to normal length, and before long I was walking normally.

When God, Spirit, is seen to be the only true power and the actual substance of man and the universe, understanding and healing must come, and human needs be met as they were in Jesus' time. DAILY BIBLE VERSE They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and no faint Isaiah 40:31

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