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The gift of God’s healing love

A Christian Science perspective: There’s one gift that can’t be bought or taken away from anyone.

  • By Nancy Boswell Forest

What can I give? This is a simple question. So much of the time, though, a gift is thought of as some physical thing – something measured as a commodity, a debit or credit, something that may be beneficial to the recipient, but burdensome for the giver to provide. However, the Bible describes one gift that benefits us all unconditionally. St. Paul writes, “Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Ephesians 4:7). This gift is the ever-presence of the Christ, the spirit of God, the divine Love that excludes no one – no matter what our age, financial standing, or circumstances might be.

In her seminal work, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer of Christian Science, writes: “Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals. It is the open fount which cries, ‘Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters’ ” (p.13). This is a promise from our Father-Mother God. And when we humbly turn to Him to understand Him better, we experience the fact that He delivers us, comforts us, and provides us with what is just right for us at every moment.

Years ago, when I was visiting relatives as a young teenager, one of them shared with me a tragic experience that he was deeply upset about. At first, I wondered why he was sharing such deep emotions with me, since he was so much older than I was. I also recalled my own family’s recent similar experience, which had forced me to look beyond the outward circumstances to discover more about God. Through my prayerful turning to God, I had learned so much about God’s great love for all of His children.

I realized that what my relative was yearning for was to understand and feel God’s love. With all my heart, I reached out to God to know what to say to comfort him. As I prayed and listened, I felt a deep conviction of God’s tender love for both of us, right then and there. I felt so moved by this “grace according to ... the gift of Christ” that the words just came. I conveyed with confidence to him that God is Love, and that He never stops caring for all of His children. And that God, as our loving Father-Mother, does not give us catastrophic experiences, but rather, He lifts us above our human circumstances, supports us and heals us. With that, he relaxed, and his manner became quiet and peaceful. I was humbly grateful to see how God was meeting his need, and mine.

This experience, among others, enabled me to see that the source of all healing is God, divine Love. Love blesses all equally. God doesn’t take from one in order to give to another, nor is there any waste or loss of the blessing God has for each one. In the experience I had with my relative, what was given was received gratefully; it was effective, valuable, and valued. It didn’t cost anything, didn’t have to be wrapped up, and didn’t have to be given at a particular time of year. It further grounded my understanding of God’s boundless love for all of His children. It was God’s gift to both of us.

When we share the love of God with others, this saying of Christ Jesus is fulfilled in our lives: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38).

In the true spirit of giving, let us give the gift of unselfish, spiritual love to all those thirsting for healing.

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