How much of God’s attention do we have?
Would it ever be possible for one person to have God’s full attention and love? Would it be selfish to expect this?
If God were a human-like parent, it would be impossible to compete with our billions of worldwide brothers and sisters for His attention and care. God, though, isn’t a limited, material, one-faceted mind; God is infinite Mind and Spirit. This infinitude means that God’s knowledge and love are absolutely unlimited.
Christian Science defines “God” as “The great I AM; the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence” (“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 587). It’s insightful how the author, Mary Baker Eddy, often brings out in this important book the all-knowing and all-seeing aspects of God.
As all-seeing and all-knowing, the divine Mind is able to behold every single one of its spiritual ideas – which all of us truly are – fully and simultaneously. This Mind comprehends all of the wonderful details about each of us.
These details include the qualities that make up our real, spiritual nature as God’s children – such as pure goodness, intelligence, integrity, love, and so on. We are wholly God’s design, and God knows us intimately – not as billions of vulnerable mortals, but as the spiritual and perfect reflection of His own nature.
So we might say that each one of us, everywhere, always has God’s full and complete attention. At every moment, we are tremendously appreciated, valued, and imbued with pure, nurturing love. We are created by God to be unique and, therefore, are so much more than a number. Science and Health explains, “God, without the image and likeness of Himself, would be a nonentity, or Mind unexpressed. He would be without a witness or proof of His own nature” (p. 303). We each – as God’s offspring, as an individual idea of divine Mind – have a vital place in God’s glorious, limitless creation.
After his crucifixion, Christ Jesus was praying in the tomb before he emerged, resurrected. God loved His Son, without reserve. But that didn’t mean He was too busy to be present with anyone else. Around this time, for example, Mary Magdalene was guided by God to the tomb’s entrance, and there she learned so much about the indestructibility of eternal Life (see John 20:1-18).
Why does it matter that God knows and values each of us so deeply? As we come to see that we are made to image forth God’s perfect nature, we learn that God expresses only goodness, intelligence, and love in us – never anything bad, confusing, evil, or frightening. We realize that we are transparencies for all that God is and is doing. The guiding, eternal Christ message of God’s goodness is revealing this reality at every moment. And receptivity to this brings greater meaning, health, harmony, and joy into our experience.
Yes, it certainly is possible for one individual to have God’s full attention and love. In fact, that is what is happening for all of us, in this very moment! It is natural for God to care for each of us simultaneously and without reserve, specifically and individually. With open arms, we can welcome all of the nurturing love and care God is giving us.
