Obedience Is the Door
FOR many years my grandmother had a small kindergarten class in her home. She said she discovered that obedience was the door through which children learned. She reminded all of her grandchildren of this through the years when she urged us to be obedient. I was not always obedient, but I still remember the warmth of her wisdom and love. Since becoming a student of Christian Science, I have come to see even more clearly how very wise my grandmother's advice was. So many times when I'm faced with illness or other trouble, if I can really be obedient to God, this solves the problem. Aligning our thought and actions to God's will bring healing.
Christ Jesus was able to heal as he did because of his obedience to divine law. And Jesus is the example for all mankind to follow. He proved everything he said. He knew all good comes from God, and he was able to heal the sick, reform the sinner, raise the dead, because he understood that God is always caring for His creation.
Obedience to God's law must come from one's own inward conviction that God, divine Principle, is almighty. Relying absolutely on God is one's own free choice. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, states in Miscellaneous Writings ``Obeying the divine Principle which you profess to understand and love, demonstrates Truth. Never absent from your post, never off guard, never ill-humored, never unready to work for God, -- is obedience; being `faithful over a few things.''' If we are able to do this, we are demonstrating Christian Science.
Once while I was on vacation in England, I went walking in the hills of the Lake District. These hills, or fells as they are called, are not very steep and are quite manageable for walking. I ventured out one morning before sunrise. The walk I took went from the village path, past cottages and stately homes, up into the hills. The lush green pastures were soon lost to view as the trees on the upward path hid them. I came upon fields of wildflowers. At another turn of the path I encountered a brook and small waterfall. It was like a fairyland. As I reached the top of a hill I expected to see a continuation of the path. But I did not have a landmark to guide me, and I discovered I had no idea in which direction to go. I wasn't even sure I could turn around where I was and find my way back.
I had walked for over an hour, and the sun was now shining brightly. I sat down on a log and began to think about all the beauty and wonder of the morning. It had begun in mist that had given way to the sunshine. I realized that just as the mist had given way to the sun, so my fear of being lost and alone must give way to the truth that I was in God's care and never lost from His sight. I was obedient to that glimpse of God's guidance and was able to stop being concerned about being lost. I began expecting an answer, even though I wasn't sure what it would be. No friendly farmer or fellow walker turned up, however. Instead I remembered a passage from Isaiah: ``This is the way, walk ye in it.'' I saw a path farther down the hill that I had not noticed before. Following this path led me to within sight of the hotel where I was staying.
When we listen to our Father-Mother God through prayer, we are always guided to do the right thing. Though we may sometimes need to stop and retrace our steps if we have been accepting the limitations of the human picture, we can be sure that God is always there to point out the right path when we are willing to follow His directions obediently.
