After spending a quiet day with God, Truth and patients from my hotel room in Gold Coast last Monday, I felt a grand success at the lecture for the Gold Coast church in Burleigh Heads, Queensland, that evening.
The members who greeted me were filled with so much joy and expectation of good for their lecture that we couldn’t help but get off to a joyful start, which we did. And the joy just kept growing.
At the end of the talk, I was especially moved by the conversations with newcomers. The ones I talked with really understood the message. They got it and were eager to learn more.
One woman came up in tears from being deeply moved by truths she heard in the lecture that reached her in a very deep way. There was some type of genuine spiritual baptism going on in her thought. And it was healthy and good.
One young newcomer said he came because he saw a one-line mention of the lecture in a local bulletin. That’s all it took to grab his attention. His eyes glowed with gratitude, delight and sincerity as he shook my hand and thanked me for the introduction to Christian Science.
One newcomer asked me, “What is God to you?” I felt her real question was, “How do I relate to God? What is God?” My mental innards sat stunned for a nano-second. “Oh my,” I said to myself. “She’s reaching out for God. She’s not sure what God is.” I later realized how for granted I take my own closeness to God. God, for me, is like my breath. God is always with me, about me, around me, guiding and directing me. I don’t always listen, but that’s my fault, not God’s. But I rarely, if ever, doubt God’s presence. After this woman’s question, it sunk in how many people have perhaps only a baby-sense of what God is. And they’d like to know more.
The evening ended on a very high note, with attendees wanting more. I knew the Pastor was there giving them what they needed to carry on.
After several hugs and heartfelt goodbyes, I was off to my next lecture venture…
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| First Church of Christ, Scientist, Gold Coast |
You sure do take “Love’s divine adventure to be All-in-all” seriously, Evan. With serious joy, that is! 🙂
Thanks for keeping us posted; I’m sure we all feel like we’re in your suitcase, going along for the JOY ride!
The responses of these dear “baby-sense” but enthusiastic-to-know-God Gold Coasters touched me, too.
Ha!
Some of us “not new-comers” have the same baby sense.
That’s why we trust practitioners and CD’s and other “stuff” more than we actually trust God on some (or many) occasions.
Been guilty of that myself once in awhile.
Thanks for the reminder.
🙂
Thank you for sharing your experiences on this trip. I get so much from them. Mary