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Story of
Progress From
primitive time man has instinctively sought a higher power when he has
felt the need of help. He has been inclined to depend upon himself,
exhausting every idea and every apparent resource before turning to God
for help. Sine he was usually in a state of desperation when he at last
sought spiritual help, quite naturally his prayer was one of
supplication, of pleading and beseeching a god or some unknown power to
come to his aid. This type of prayer added nothing to his
self-confidence or to his ability to meet new difficulties as they
arose. Students
of Divine Science are being illumined by greater understanding and are
cultivating the habit of true thinking, that is, knowing that God has
already given man all that He, Himself, is. As man lives in the
knowledge of the truth of himself and knows his oneness with All
Wisdom, All Power, All Resourcefulness, he no longer prays at God but
commune with God. He withdraws his thoughts from appearances in the
physical realm and centers them upon the omnipresence, omnipotence, and
omniscience of God. He openly declares his oneness with the one
God-Mind and as he brings all his thoughts into alignment with that
Mind, he partakes of the riches of Spirit. Thus he increases his
ability to receive the flood of goodness which is constantly flowing
out from God to His whole creation. The
prayer of Divine Science become affirmative statements of our
hearts’ praise of the Father and a thankful acknowledgment of
what we are and what we are to express here. It directs our thinking
from the need, or the problem, to the One Abiding Presence and Power.
Affirmative prayer establishes confidence and enables us to meet all
situations with poise and peace of mind. Prayer becomes an expression
of our willingness to do our part in fulfilling God’s plan
for peace on earth and good will toward all, so that man may actually
abide in the Kingdom of Heaven here and now. Chapter Six Prayer Blessed
be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O
Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory,
and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and earth is thine;
thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both
riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine
hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make great, and to
give strength unto all. Now
therefore, our God we thank thee, and praise they glorious name. 1Chron
29: 10-13 Questions to
Alert Your Thinking 1.
What does
Divine Science consider the true purpose of prayer?
Thinking of
Truth reveals it to us more and more clearly. As we study and practice,
our thoughts are steadily enlightened and there comes to us a greater
realization of our oneness with God. As a student
trains his thinking, the process may be likened to a mental fast. A
fast of though which we shall give recognition: we refuse to entertain
any concept of evil; we reject every negative thought; we release our
previously accumulated beliefs and opinions; we give up human
comparisons of good and evil. The results are positive: anger and the
inclination to become angry grow less as we refuse to give place to
evil; weariness, fear, and pain drift away; we see ourselves and our
fellowmen in a new light and with greater understanding; our world
becomes a pleasanter place in which to live. Hitherto prayer
has been considered an expressed desire to be released from some
condition or to have some need supplied. Hitherto we have not realized
that the conditions we experience in our lives are the automatic
fulfillment of our own state of consciousness, and so we have prayed
that they might pass from us, not realizing that we must pass from them. More and more
as our thought is illumined by truth we see the whole world and all
that belongs in it as God’s creation, His expression and this
creation is potentially as perfect as He is perfect. Again our eyes are
opened to see that prayer is not what we had previously thought it to
be. We begin to understand that we shall no longer beseech our God for
what we desire. Now we shall pray to realize the God presence, the
Christ within ourselves, to feel His love, and to become aware of His
purpose for us. We shall pray in order to become more certain of that
which is. We shall pray for a fuller realization of God, not primarily
for things or for favors from God. When our thoughts accept the
Omnipresence and its Good, we know that we have received; we know that
all good is already ours and is only awaiting our recognition and
acceptance. After we
understand Omnipresence as the "fullness filling all" we can say, "I
have received." Now we shall "speak with new tongues," we shall pray in
a new way. Prayer in Divine Science becomes the method of recognizing
God and His fullness, for recognition is the sure method of seeking,
receiving and having. It is the method that brings the highest
unfoldment to the individual. True prayer is recognition, acceptance,
thanksgiving, and acting the true nature of God. To recognize the One
All as present is finding and receiving our good. The scientist
declares the everlasting, eternal truth of God; realizes that God is
continually expressing Himself in, through, and as His creation. The
scientist prays in Spirit with understanding; he renders thanks for
what has been received and joyfully acknowledges omnipresent good. The true prayer
is the prayer of illumined faith and of the acknowledgment of
God’s loving presence. It is the foundation of all clear
seeing and believing and through it comes the greatest of all joys, the
comradeship of God and man. Through prayer we constantly become more
conscious of God and God in action in all life’s experiences,
more conscious of the immediate nearness and availability of God.
Through prayer we become more conscious of what we are, of what God
knows us to be, His own image and likeness. The affirmative
prayer of Divine Science is patterned after the Lord’s
Prayer. In this prayer we find not pleading but affirmation of truth.
It is often used in Divine Science services as a powerful means of
emphasizing oneness with God which Jesus so definitely expressed in all
his teachings. It is spoken in the present tense for it is believed
that Jesus spoke it in his native language, the Aramaic, which had
neither past nor future tense. Read it in the present tense and see how
much stronger and more meaningful it become to you: Our Father
which art in heaven, Hallowed is Thy
name. Thy kingdom
come; Thy will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Thou givest us
this day our daily bread: Thou forgivest
us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Thou leadest us
not into temptation but dost deliver us from all evil: For thine is
the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. The Creator
expresses His own nature in living form and is always saying to His
expression, "Because I am, thou art; thou art my very Self revealed and
like ever expresses like." The law of love is God’s
givingness of all that He is to His creation. Truth never changes. Law
is unchangeable. Personal opinion has no influence over law. In the
practice of Truth, by means of true prayer, personal opinions must be
set aside for unchangeable law. Prayer, therefore becomes an
acknowledgment of the divine order or plan; the acceptance of the
perfect adjustment of mentality and body to the truth of Spirit. How natural it
is that the Creator, infinite Mind, should know His creations
individually; should know man as His own thought. This is the reason
that direct communication with God is possible. God is more conscious
of us than we are of Him; His capacity for being intensely conscious is
so much greater than ours that it is beyond comparison. God knows when
we turn to Him and our love for Him is met by His own outflowing love
for us. Our need is to know the truth and to listen to the voice of
intuition which is ever speaking within us. To this purpose the present
chapter will present a proven method by which the student may establish
the habit of affirmative prayer and the art of silent listening in
order that he may more fully partake of Truth. One soon learns
that prayer may be instantaneous, for by the quick turning of thought
to the Christ Mind within, one receives added strength, renewed love,
guidance, and assurance. But it is also necessary to acquire the habit
of a longer communication with God. This requires a daily period of
quiet when we "enter the closet…and shut the door." This is
the time of meditation which will keep us alert to the ever-present God
in the midst of us. The period of daily meditation is an excellent
preparation for the true Silence wherein we listen to God who is ever
seeking to express through us. Meditation includes our affirmative
statement of our origin, of our inheritance, and of our desire to open
the way for God’s plan to work out through us. It is the time
when we bring our thinking into alignment with the God idea; when we
agree with His divine nature; when we center our whole attention in the
divine Mind and openly declare the truth of our oneness with that Mind.
To keep thought centered in God and to declare our oneness with Him is
to enter heaven and partake of the kingdom. The infinite consciousness
of God, or Mind, becomes our consciousness when we identify and locate
ourselves in the presence of God. His resourcefulness becomes real to
us in proportion as we become conscious of His presence with us and
within us. In order to
meditate effectively let us set aside a time for meditation when we may
be as undisturbed as possible. Sit in a comfortable position so that we
may forget the body and our surroundings. Before meditating we decide
upon the inherency or aspect of God we wish to realize for that day. It
may be one today, another tomorrow. It is far better to concentrate
upon a single God inherency than it is to attempt to realize the
complete omnipresence of God in a single meditation. We choose for the
subject of our meditation something for which we feel the need of a
deeper realization. We meditate upon the need of a deeper realization.
We meditate upon tat one subject only, be it of health, supply,
guidance, wisdom, love, strength, peace or any other subject
– until we begin to sense its completeness in God, and until
in our thought we bring ourselves to an awareness that it is ours also,
and until this truth permeates our consciousness. As we affirm
our true nature until we are certain of its truth; as we shut out
thought of all that is contrary to our peace; as we know that that
which is true of God’s nature is also true of our own for we
are the image and likeness of God, we enter into a state of mind which
accepts the truth that God has provided for us all that we can possibly
need. This is the first step in meditation. It is called Recognition of
Omnipresence. Now at this
time when thoughts, emotions, opinions, and questions are stilled, we
make our definite affirmative statement of the truth we wish to dwell
upon in order to attain a deeper realization of it as actuality in our
experience. We repeat this affirmation several times until we feel its
truth and think of nothing else. As we dwell upon it with all our
attention, feel it to the core of our hearts, we life our consciousness
into a state of true prayer. This is the second step in meditation and
is called Affirmation. Continue to
think of this attribute or characteristic as it exists perfectly in the
God-Mind, in the Perfect Uncreate. Enumerate all the ways which
convince us of the existence of this characteristic in God. Now, we
bring our thought to the world at large and think of every evidence of
God’s expressing this characteristic in the natural universe.
Again we bring thought still closer to our own immediate surroundings
and ourselves. We always hold to the one thought that God is expressing
Himself in, through, and as us. This detailed "thinking through" from
the perfect Source to perfect manifestation is the third step in
meditation, called Concentration. The foregoing
three steps, wherein we praise and described the goodness of God,
wherein we magnify the good in our conscious thinking until the
subconscious realm of our soul becomes full of the recognition of good,
will lead us into an inner spiritual-mental practice of the Presence
which results in intuitive communication. The fourth step should follow
automatically; it is the Silence wherein we cease our thinking, direct
all our attention to the Christ Mind within and listen only to Spirit.
Christ Mind, which is the presence of God within the individual, we may
receive wisdom direct from divine Mind. We listen attentively, yet
quietly, that we may be fully receptive to this direct knowing as it
flows forth from the Infinite; listen while allowing the hidden glories
and truths of life to be revealed to our thinking, listen to be
convinced of Truth, listen inwardly that we may receive the intuitions
of the Spirit. We come out of the Silence with a grateful outpouring of
thanks for if we have carried out these directions conscientiously we
shall feel such an upwelling of spontaneous gratitude to the Father for
all that He means to us that we will be compelled to express our
thanks. This fourth step is call Conscious Realization. After this time
in the Silence and the full expression of our gratitude we return to
the normal activities of daily living carrying an enlightened
consciousness with us, and we go forth in a godly way from Invisible
Being to visible expression, even as a completed example is the perfect
expression of a perfect principle in the science of mathematics. For in
truth we include our expression within our consciousness just as
omnipresence includes all creation within its infinite Consciousness.
Hence our freedom is of the same nature as is the freedom of
omnipresent Spirit. To be sure that
we are contacting the Christ Mind, which is the greatest achievement
that can come to us, here are some points to e kept in mind as we
practice meditation: First, we must
establish a strong unwavering belief in the indwelling Christ Mind. By
means of regular, daily affirmation, meditation and study, we shall
implant such a deep and abiding faith that eventually it becomes a rock
upon which to build. Second, we must
make it our responsibility to grasp every opportunity to recognize the
expression of a God inherency in our contact with others. Let us name
if, claim it as part of ourselves, give thanks for it and for our
ability to discern it, give it more than a passing thought. Third, our
conscious mind must be alert and dynamic during meditation, for
meditation is not a subjective state in which we invite into our
mentality anything that may want to come. If we are apathetic we open
ourselves to a host of jumbled impressions and desires that will rise
out of the subconscious realm of mind. Fourth, we are
creatures of free will and we can decide to open to the Christ Mind and
to it alone. Affirmations and meditation bring us into a close feeling
of intimacy with that Mind and we can follow out our intent. As we are
steadfast in study and prayer, knowing that we are turning to the
indwelling Father in deep earnestness, we shall find Him as willing to
give as we are to receive. Fifth, after
patient practice we shall come to an inner knowing, a clear conviction
that it is the Christ with whom we have been communing. When this
conviction comes it brings a wonderful sense of joy and satisfaction,
and it is sure to come as a reward of earnest and persistent seeking.
There is no set form in which it must come. Some say that they see a
light, some say that they hear a voice, some have a deep knowing that
it is unaccompanied by any phenomena of physical senses. It will come
to each one in the way best for him, so do not make any special attempt
to bring lights, colors or voices. Finally, let us
not permit the intellect to reason away what we may have received
intuitively. Intuition is superior to intellect for intellect must
ultimately depend upon intuition for its clearest explanation of Truth
and for is working ideas. To pray the
meditative prayer takes more time and thought than a supplication for
help, for it means consistently thinking through and the earnest
endeavor to be true in all thinking, speaking, and reacting in
accordance therewith. In fact it loses all value unless followed by
action which conforms to the knowing. The practice of living the truth
is of such vital importance that later there will be an entire lesson
devoted to the practical application of it. Meditation and practice are
the two phases of strong living. In stillness, strength is gathered for
activity; in action, the energy realized is stillness is exercised.
Stillness is the night wherein the soul reposes and is refreshed for
the activity of the day. One soon appreciates the reminder that we
continue "instant in prayer," for the affirmative prayer requires that
every minute be attuned to a constant acknowledgment of God, the One
All. To pray and
depend upon God as the source of life and strength is to worship in
Spirit and in Truth; is to base motive and faith aright; and is to
fulfill the purpose of Life in creation. The purpose of Life is that
God may be made manifest; that we may, as individuals, come to know our
true Sonship. This is a consciousness of Life Eternal. He who finds not
God within himself may seek in vain elsewhere. He who finds not himself
in God and as God will have sought the Christ in vain. When God is
sought and found as the expresser of form, and as expressed in form,
there is no place where He is not apparent. Regular,
persistent practice of affirmative prayer will bring us eventually to
the place where we will establish a strong, unwavering belief in the
Christ Mind which is the eternal Self of each one. It will implant such
a deep and abiding faith in the guidance of that Indwelling One in both
the conscious and subconscious levels of our thought that nothing can
dislodge it. It will bring to each one who practices faithfully an
established consciousness which will promote progressive spiritual
unfoldment. This is our goal in the understanding and use of prayer. Study these
lessons from the plane of Spirit; meditate upon their truths from that
high plane and the light of understanding will reveal their truth. If
you will pray as herein instructed you will feel the power of communing
with the Father; you will become aware that Father and son are one. You
will worship in spirit and in Truth. STATEMENTS OF TRUTH Affirmations declare that which is forever true. Affirmation
brings realization. Realization is
conscious possession. Meditative
prayer has the same purpose as the practice of any art or skill
– the attainment of perfect results. Time spent in
meditation gives me opportunity to enumerate in definite statements,
aloud or silently, the truth I know about God and about myself. For a
successful Silence:
It may take
much practice in meditation before we attain the real Silence and have
an awareness of the presence of God. Be persistent, be humble, have
faith, and one day you will find a refuge, and abiding place within
Spirit. This is the "Pearl of Great Price." Questions For Review and Discussion 1.
Explain why the Lord's Prayer may rightly be prayed in the
present tense. Divine
Science Its Principle and Practice
Copyright 1957 by Divine Science Church
and College Denver,
Colorado Made available
here by the ministry of Rev. Lawrence C.
Terry, M.Msc., D.Min. P. O. Box 68324 Indianapolis, IN
46268-0324 |
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