Government and our destiny
A recent issue of the Monitorm n1 carried the story of a young Czech photographer forced to emigrate from his country in order to study and work freely. Apparently because his father is a critic of the country's current regime, the son had been denied entry to high school, and his collection of negatives had been confiscated. Finally he asked permission to study abroad. He was told he could go only if he emigrated permanently. He did.
n1 April 11, 1980.
This man's story has probably turned out better than many. He is at least able to continue his career freely. But how many other men and women, young and old, have had their work and lives stifled by governments that suppress individuality at all costs?
In a way, all of us have.
Every person has something valuable to contribute to mankind. What keeps him or her from giving it? A government. One not so overt in its tactics as some human regimes, but nevertheless one that depends on heavy-handed ways to stifle rebellion. It's an illegitimate government besides, and it affects both westerner and easterner. It's a beliefm -- the chronic acceptance of mortality as the definition of life; the stifling conviction (undisputed by almost everyone) that man lives in a material body, walks and works in a material environment, acts according to preconditioned material impulses. This false government is the mortal mind that would define and limit our thoughts, lives, careers, and dreams.
Mortal mind is apathy. It's also sensualism, resentment, petty crime -- all that is opposed to God. the mistaken assumption that we are subject to a fallible material intelligence called the five senses is what keeps us from fulfilling our high destiny.And it's this assumption we have to fight. Just as some people heroically resist domination by oppressive governments, so we all should resist the domination of our life-purposes by this fictitious mind. As Mary Baker Eddy n2 puts it, "The illusion of material sense, not divine law, has bound you, entangled your free limbs, crippled your capacities, enfeebled your body, and defaced the tablet of your being." n3
n2 Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.
n3 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,m p. 227.
The way to escape the influence of the baseless and essentially powerless government of mortal mind is through a living allegiance to the government and guidance of God. God is the Father- Mother, the infinite Love governing creation. You and I are in reality God's offspring -- not sinners, not mortals, but His expression. This spiritual identity is intact, pure; it has been and will be so forever.
Knowing this reality of our being, and living active lives that evidence this reality -- lives of peacemaking, compassion, hope -- we mentally place ourselves under God's government. Step by step we find the freedom and ability to confirm our great calling as part of His purpose. That calling is to be free, to bear witness to Him, to exhibit infinite intelligence, limitless inspiration, boundless creativity, and fulfillment.
God is Truth and Life, the reality insteadm of the pseudo life of mortal mind. The power of God, realized, exposes and subjugates mortal mind to the Christ, God's message to humanity of His existence and love. God's power can never be denied nor man's reflection of that power delimited. You and I have a spiritual destiny to fulfill, and as we overcome apathy or sensualism or resentment (tendencies that make our lives small) we come more into our own as dynamic expressions of divine initiative and purpose.
"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper," writes the prophet; "and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." n4 Standing up, in thought and action, to the belligerent nothingness of mortal mind's government and looking to God for inspiration and power, we will find our influence and satisfaction broadening. We'll accomplish the things we want to accomplish. Instead of standing outside looking in, we'll be moving and working within the great government of God. And we'll be fulfilling our deep destiny.
n4 Isaiah 54:17.
DAILY BIBLE VERSE Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. Isaiah 43:1
