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Abide in Soul – Silence the Arrogance of Evil!
 
Metaphysical Application Ideas on the Weekly Bible Lesson
Soul – February 12-18, 2007
Prepared by Kathy Fitzer, C.S. of St. Louis, Missouri
 
Editor’s Note: The following background information and application ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson for this week are offered primarily to help CedarS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and demonstrate the great value of daily study of the Christian Science Bible lessons year-round, not just at camp! EACH WEDNESDAY: CHECK www.cedarscamps.org/metaphysical/  FOR A FREE FRENCH TRANSLATION of this weekly “met” offered by Pascal Bujard of Switzerland.
 
The third verse of hymn 180 seems to sum up this lesson. “They whose every thought Still from Love is sought, In Soul, not flesh, abide…” In my experience, Soul is the synonym for God that people either love as a “favorite” or say it is the hardest for them to understand. This week we get a view of Soul as the abiding place of man. Those that seek good in righteousness abide in the Lord and find safety. Let’s explore this abiding place of Soul, and come home to God – freed from sin, disease, and death!
 
Golden Text: God’s Got Everything Under Control!
Habakkuk looked around him and saw a mess – plundering and looting, people thinking only of their own wealth and importance, hard partying, idol worship, and a generally messed-up world. Hmm … sound anything like what appears to be happening in our world! His first response was to complain, doubt, and question God. How could this be happening?  Why wasn’t God doing anything? But, then he got it! All of this stuff was going on outside of God’s consciousness (temple), in the realm of sense. But God was – IS – still in his temple and in control! All opposing forces WILL be silenced! Watch! Satisfaction of the senses and self-seeking has no enduring life! So, if you want to find lasting peace, stop and take up residence in God’s holy temple! He has it under control!
 
Responsive Reading: God’s Temple Has Room- Move Right In!
Ever think about living in the perfect place? Is that possible? Well, not if you’re looking for it as a material place – a particular city, a particular structure shared with a particular person. But, this perfect place IS available as a state of consciousness. It’s the house of God (the consciousness of Love, as Mrs. Eddy puts it. (See the 23rd Psalm, S&H p. 578) They who “dwell” in God’s house are blessed – HAPPY! There is a security there, a sense of light that can’t be darkened. Your worth and your happiness have nothing to do with what you DO in God’s house – your job, how much money you have, what race or gender you are, how talented you seem to be. All that matters is that you desire to have God as your center, whatever it is you’re doing. It doesn’t mean there won’t be challenges. But, if your thought stays with God – stays in the consciousness of Love, as you expectantly wait to see the effects of the law of good, you WILL see it, and there will be absolutely no reason to be afraid, and no chance of failure.
 
Section I: God – Soul – that’s ALL there is!
We hear the same message in a variety of ways in this section. There is ONE God – one Soul! God guides and instructs us, as His children. Even if we’re not inclined to listen, God MAKES us hear Him. (B-1) We can depend on God – confident that whatever worthy task is put in front of us to do, God enables it to be done. (B-2) Nothing opposes God! (B-3) His is the power of good and of strength, and it is God’s victory and glory! We have to remember not to try to take personal credit or feel a false sense of responsibility for anything! Just thank and praise God! Recognize v. 11 from the last line of the Lord’s Prayer? (B-4) It’s all God!  Now, plug in Soul as a synonym for God. Soul is Spirit, one Mind. (S-1) Soul is the ONLY intelligence. So, it’s not possible for one person to be smarter than another, is it? God doesn’t know anything about a mental handicap. Stop comparing! (S-2) How do we find God? Not by looking through the lens of material sense. Material sense can only offer a limited view. It can’t possibly reveal immortal Soul – perpetual and unlimited. (S-3) We have to stop looking to physiology and hygiene for answers if we want to dwell in Soul! The more we bury ourselves in the error of material belief, the tougher it is to find Soul. (S-4) 
 
Section II: Soul and Sense – Opposing Neighbors
Here we have the story of two neighbors – Nabal and David. Nabal clearly did not understand the concept of being “neighborly.” Rather, he thrived on being wicked, fitting the description of the soul of a wicked man given in the proverb. (B-5, Researched Bible Guide) A good man may sometimes do wrong things, but it is his desire to do right. Not Nabal! His name meant “fool.” How appropriate! While his men were shearing sheep in an area that was known for thieves and robbers, David’s men (who lived in the area) not only did not hurt them, but protected them. Yet, when David sent men asking that Nabal share some of his abundance with them, he flatly refused and insulted them. (B-6) Arrogance and ingratitude personified! So, where did this wickedness come from, if there is one God – one Soul – and it is good? It is an erroneous view! It is the view shot through the lens of matter – the erroneous supposition that Soul can be divided into many souls – or individual personalities – some good and some evil! (S-5) In later sections this false view will get corrected. But, for now it is just important to understand how to identify the error. We’ve all been in situations where people have treated us unfairly – when we haven’t done anything to deserve it! So, what do we do? It is helpful if we can make the distinction between man and the lie of human will. Human will is not part of Soul! (S-7) Following the reasoning begun in Section 1, if will isn’t good, it isn’t part of Soul, and so it isn’t a power! Check out the attributes of will, so that you’re sure YOU don’t entertain them. (S-7) We don’t deny harmony just because there is APPARENT discord. Do you deny the harmony of music just because someone doesn’t know how to play the piano very well and hits wrong notes? Very important: “It is our ignorance of God, the divine Principle, which produces apparent discord” (just like ignorance of music), “and the right understanding of Him restores harmony” (just like the right understanding of music). (S-8) Abide in Soul, dwell in God’s temple, get to know Her! 
 
Section III: The Peacemaker saves Her Neighbor
One of Nabal’s men gives Abigail a report about what’s happened, and tells her that David’s men really were good to them. She has to do something! At the same time David’s men tell him what happened and he figures he has to do something, too! Fortunately, Abigail’s courage (remember women didn’t do stuff like this) and quick action saved herself, the innocent shearers, and the innocence of David. David and his men were in this area because they had been forced to run from Saul. They weren’t bad. But, they were about to do a bad thing. But, God’s grace saved them all. (B-7) I love the proverbs that are sprinkled through this story. Check out how Peterson paraphrases this one in The Message: “A woman of gentle grace gets respect, but men of rough violence grab for loot. When you’re kind to others, you help yourself.” (B-8) There is some fore-shadowing going on here. We’ll wait for the next sections to see all of the blessings that come to those doing right. Abigail had to convince David that he didn’t want revenge. She had to “convince the mortal of his mistake in seeking material means for gaining happiness.” And this took a tremendous amount of moral courage. (S-10) Having moral courage means doing what is right, regardless of the potential risks. It means turning the situation over to Soul and responding to the law of harmony, which is real and immortal. (S-11) Just like notes respond to the law of harmony in music. When each one is in its right place, doing what it was designed to do, there is a harmonious blending and each idea/note is supported by the others blending with it. Abigail had a job to do, and she didn’t sit around stewing about it! If she had hesitated she might have been too late to pacify David, and the results would have been disastrous! LOOK for opportunities to be a peacemaker – which is different from being a busybody! A peacemaker reasons rightly, recognizing harmonious man governed by Soul. (S-9) A busybody just gets down in the dust of imperfection and adds to the mess! Change yourthought – understand the government of Soul, and bring everyone up with you.
 
Section IV: The Wise Man is Safe — Sin Kills Itself
So, Abigail, David, and all of the men are safe. What about Nabal? He was his own undoing. His foolishness blinded him to God’s infinite blessings. He hugged his limited sense of life close, continuing to indulge the arrogant senses, setting himself up as royalty. When he discovers what his wife has done, he’s apparently so upset about losing some of his wealth that it kills him. (B-11) Was that the end of Nabal? Not according to Science. God’s beloved child – the eternal image of Soul, which we ALL are – can not die. Soul can’t sin. Material sense – the false view – sins. So, it is this sense of sin that dies because there is no Truth to support it. Even though it looks like it, the individual never dies, because each individual idea of Soul is forever supported by the unfluctuating divine Principle, Truth. (S-15) There is a difference between the immortal individuality of man and the material personality. If mortal thought totally identifies with sinful sense, then when the sinful sense is lost, it appears that the individual is lost, too. But, it is only the counterfeit, the inverted likeness that dies. This mortal sense of man has never been the image of God, anymore than an error in math has ever been true – or 3/4 has ever been its inverted likeness, 4/3.  (S-16) The false sense of identity has to be put off. Without reform, the belief of evil kills itself. But, “the spiritual, eternal man is not touched by these phases of mortality.”  (S-18) Remember, a good man may sometimes unwittingly do evil (or fall into the trap of fear or believing a false belief.) David was headed in that direction, but saved by Abigail’s expression of Soul. Only evil indulged without remorse destroys itself.  So, you don’t need to be afraid of what someone else can do to you or make you do. You don’t even need to be afraid of a commercial advertising what a scary disease can do to you. Identify yourself as God’s man “governed by Soul, not by material sense.” (S-13) You are safe in Soul. “Do you hear Lady Wisdom calling? Can you hear Madame Insight raising her voice? When you find me, you find life, real life, to say nothing of God’s good pleasure. But if you wrong me, you damage your very soul;” (B-9, The Message) Listen to the angels – choose wisdom and live!
 
Section V: Marriage – the Union of Hearts
So, Abigail did the right thing; Nabal did the wrong thing. But, Abigail is still left alone. And being a widow in those days was not a good thing! But, God takes care of His children. (B-12) Abigail’s goodness, and moral courage, blended beautifully with David’s strength and royalty. Humbly, Abigail married David. (B-13) Marriage is a holy provision. Although there will come a time when we no longer marry, it is not until we REALLY understand that “God is the Father of all”, until there is such a spiritualization of thought that material belief yields to spiritual understanding and a new and higher idea of immortality, or spiritual existence is gained. (See definition of Resurrection, S&H 593: 9) Until then, marriage is a provision for hearts to blend and both parties to be blessed by the qualities each brings to the union. (S-22) The definitions of bride and bridegroom refer to a consciousness that conceives man as created by God alone. (S-19) Marriage is about the blending of thought. The happiness of a marriage (or “finding” the “right one” to marry) isn’t about two people being exactly the same in every way, or about the size, shape, age, etc. of an individual. It has everything to do with the mingling of “unselfish ambition, noble life-motives, and purity.” (S-21) Identifying and developing in oneself the qualities of thought Mrs. Eddy speaks of as contributing to happiness in marriage – and then looking for and acknowledging them in others – prepares your thought to be placed, by God, in a happy family setting. Neither Abigail nor David ever could have outlined how they would meet, but their marriage was blessed by what each brought to it. Companionship is the work of Soul!
 
Section VI: Sickness Healed as Sin is Forgiven
Shhhhhh… be quiet so you can see and hear all that God is delivering to His people! (B-14) The prophet Malachi foretold the coming of Christ which would establish forever the covenant of God’s tender relationship with His children in the temple. (B-15)   This covenant (this agreement between God and man) had been in place – in the form of law – since Abraham and Moses. But, Christ Jesus elevated the covenant. Mrs. Eddy defines temple as body; … the superstructure of Truth; the shrine of Love; (S&H p. 595)   Check out the postulates that Mrs. Eddy gives as the chief stones in the “temple of Christian Science.” (S-27) Now apply them to your concept of body. These are radical, but essential, presuppositions if we’re to follow Jesus’ example and heal as he did. Jesus didn’t waver. He didn’t see man as a sinner, or entertain the possibility of God punishing man or knowing evil. The Christ came (and is here) to free us from the BELIEF that man is subject to sickness and sin. One was no more different to Jesus than the other. (B-17) Although modern Christianity traditionally only focuses on salvation from sin, Jesus clearly taught that neither sin NOR sickness are of God. This is the “undivided garment” of Christ. (S-26) One whole, perfect man, the image of Soul. (S-28) Remember, after the crucifixion people ripped up Jesus’ garment and cast lots to see who would take what part with them. It doesn’t work that way. We have to accept the whole Christ. We can’t divide Soul into souls. We can’t pick and choose which parts of Truth we will accept. We can’t believe in good and evil or that we can ever be separated from God. This belief is sin. And as long as this sinful belief (expressed as fear, hatred, envy, dishonesty, etc.) is accepted as part of man’s nature, sickness will accompany the belief. (S-24)Jesus knew that “Soul and its attributes [are] forever manifested through man.” That being the case, there is no room for anything unlike Soul – perfect Spirit, Mind. Man is healed through God’s grace, “the scientific action of the divine Mind on human minds and bodies.” Jesus brought the action of God’s gracious spirit to light, and eliminated sin and disease. (S-25) Dwell in the temple of the Lord – the consciousness of Love – and watch Christ silence the arrogant lie of sin, disease, and death forever! Be Soul’s shine!
 
Camp Director’s Note:The above sharing is the latest in a series of CedarS Bible Lesson “mets” (metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians. This document is intended to initiate further study as well as to encourage the application of ideas found in the Weekly Bible Lessons as printed in the Christian Science Quarterly and as available at Christian Science Reading Rooms. * Originally sent JUST to campers, staff and CedarS families who wanted to continue at home and in their home Sunday Schools the same type of focused Lesson study and inspiration they had felt at camp, CedarS lesson “mets” are in no way meant to be definitive or conclusive or in any way a substitute for daily study of the lesson in the books. The thoughts presented are the inspiration of the moment and are offered to give a bit more dimension, background and daily applicability to some of the ideas and passages being studied. The citations referenced (i.e. B1 and S28) from this week’s Bible Lesson in the “met” (metaphysical application ideas) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible (B1-24) and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. (S1-30) The Bible and Science and Health are the ordained pastor of the Churches of Christ, Scientist. The Bible Lesson is the sermon read in Christian Science church services throughout the world. The Lesson-Sermon speaks individually through the Christ to everyone, providing unique insights and tailor-made applications for each one. We are glad you requested this metaphysical sharing and hope that you find some of these ideas helpful in your daily spiritual journey, in your deeper digging in the books and in closer bonding with your Comforter and Pastor.)  Spirituality is your innate estate that connects you moment by moment with God.  (See S&H 258:30) Christ is the gift of light that Jesus gave.  This Christ light of spiritual understanding comes with and reveals infinite blessings. So, have fun unwrapping and cherishing your very special, spiritual gift(s)!  Then, wherever you are, share them with all as big blessings that make the Infinite difference!
 
Enjoy!
Warren Huff, Camp Director     director@cedarscamps.org     (636) 394-6162
CedarS Camps Office (where you can now mail requests or support till the office moves back to camp in May)
1314 Parkview Valley
Manchester, MO 63011


The weekly Metaphysical Newsletter is provided at no charge to the 1,200 campers and staff blessed each summer at CedarS, as well as to CedarS alumni, families and friends who have requested it.  However, current and planned giving contributions are a big help and are greatly appreciated in defraying the costs of running this service and of providing needed camperships, programs and operations support. Click http://www.cedarscamps.org/giving for more about how you can provide support online or to get information or discuss privately how to make a special gift to help perpetuate CedarS work.
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Another new, visually-oriented and very helpful resource for study of the weekly Bible Lesson is being produced by The Christian Science Publishing Society and can be found at:myBibleLesson.com.  What a great auxiliary to lesson study– maybe from a handsome set of new student books now sold in Reading Rooms! MyBibleLesson contains word definitions, Bible background, timelines and translations, plus many healing ideas to use.  Why not check out this effort to help bring to life each beloved Bible lesson in order to bless the youthful thinker and Sunday School student (and teacher) in us all! or copy and paste this link into your browser.

 
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