Get away from it all?

It may sometimes appear that the best way to solve problems is to escape them. Unfortunately, this isn't the answer. Taking a vacation or making a fresh start can at times be useful. But real solutions come from only one source -- a genuine change of thought.

Two contrasting Bible stories illustrate this fact. In one -- Christ Jesus' parable of the prodigal son -- the son, apparently dissatisfied with his life, wanted independence from his father "and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living." n1

n1 Luke 15:13.

But things didn't work out as he had hoped. Before leaving home, the prodigal, taking his father's love for granted, had felt sure he could find what was really substantial only in "a far country." But then his material concept of substance began to wear thin. Faced with starvation, he finally realized his mistake. In desperation he retraced his steps and returned to his father. His attitude had changed from selfishness to gratitude. Through his father's great mercy and love he was welcomed home, where he had the opportunity to work things out just where he was.

The other story concerns two young men. They, too, left their father to seek a new life. They were fishermen. Their names were James and John. But in this case, what the men were responding to was the call to a higher life. They left their father and their nets and became disciples of Jesus, witnessing many of his healing works. n2

n2 See Mark 1:19, 20.

In this infinitely more profitable call to leave home, James and John went forward rather than backward. Obeying Jesus' instructions, they learned to heal through prayer -- that is, through the power of the ever-present Christ, Truth. Jesus taught them that the Christ-power was available to all who followed him and lived his teachings.

This Christ-power, the unopposable strength of divine Truth, is still available today and is calling each of us away from the limitations of a matter-bordered existence. The influence of the Christ can be felt by anyone who welcomes Truth into his life and strives to understand it. Relying on the Christ-power, one can learn to heal through prayer -- through the confident acknowledgment of God's nature as infinite divine Love and of man as Love's child, or spiritual reflection.

We all have times of just wanting to escape problems. Yet the most effective solutions can be initiated right where we are -- through the prayer of Christ-healing.

We do need to get away from materialistic thought, however. Quoting the Old Testament, the Apostle Paul writes, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." n3 Says Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science: "Mortals must find refuge in Truth in order to escape the error of these latter days." n4

n3 II Corinthians 6:17.

n4 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,m p. 83.

Fearlessly facing problems with the conviction of God's allness and perfection and of man's identity as Love's cherished reflection, we can prove our God-derived dominion over evil. Not in "a far country," not in any sense by taking a trip away from difficulties, but through full confidence in our heavenly Father's love. His will -- His law -- for us is harmony. Right here. DAILY BIBLE VERSE Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. Luke 15:31