Healing prayer is more than a superficial articulation of spiritual truths. It’s a profound experience with God.
Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “To enter into the heart of prayer, the door of the erring senses must be closed. Lips must be mute and materialism silent, that man may have audience with Spirit, the divine Principle, Love, which destroys all error”
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 15).
Seek out the audience of Spirit! Tune into God’s presence with spiritual sense, and the healing ideas you seek will come.
Thank you Evan,for this reminder first thing in the morning ,also an inspiration.
Thank you Evan.
Thank you Evan – appreciated and much needed.
One really has to take time, often a lot of time, at least me, to find the needed peace to find that profound experience with God, as Evan says here. But I know it is worth praying deeply and listen.
Thank you very much Evan for the clarification of what a healing prayer really means and is about!
This is so true. Thank you for sharing Uta!
The most profound and powerful times I felt the presence, protection, inspiration, and closeness with God that transformed me was when material circumstances seem so extremely horrible and not worth giving attention to, or compliance with. . When I’m comfortable in matter and attached to mortal mind’s constant noise, getting used to little irritations / aches / and pains and mortal opinions, it is as if God is less important to me. And then I don’t really reach out and listen and humbly let go of whatever stories running through my thought. But for the deep repentance, humility, trust, and gratitude that moves me forward with the deeper spiritual love to better feel and hear God, I need to let go of and tune out everything else claiming attention, urgency, importance, reality. Recognizing this pattern, it makes it easier for me to be less avoidant of, or scared of, more extreme or scary challenges. It seems to be the same way for each of the heroes/sheroes in the Bible from the spiritual mothers and fathers to the prophets to the Messiah to the apostles, and Mary Baker Eddy. It’s not the obstacle course with distractions or the public shaming tortuous “running the gauntlet” that matters, but the divine presence, spiritualizing process and progress that strengthens us to ever better glorify God and that better blesses our world. Not fearing those times that seem like hell because what wins is the experience of heaven with God. Not focusing on some other imagined time past, present, or future, but focusing on what God is being and doing and saying right now, here. It’s the only oneness and allness, all-goodness, of God, not the illusion of anything else. And no matter what, each and everyone of us can experience that more and more, better and better.
Thank you, Edith
Well said Edith !
Thanks Edith. Your comment: “Not focusing on some other imagined time past, present, or future, brought to thought “Leaving the false landmarks” by Louise Knight Wheatley Cook”:
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/14gvgupoyek?s=e
Really like this especially the part about letting go of the stories running through our mind
Love this Edith. So well put …’God being and doing’ is our wake-up call, for this is us being and doing also , as His expression.
Thank you Evan and all ❣️
Thank you Edith and Evan!
So thankful dear for sharing wonderful ideas.
Yes and yes
‘Instead of reacting, choose to pray -& bring healing’:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1I52owwh0my?s=e
please use this link instead:
‘Instead of reacting, choose to pray—and bring healing’:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1l52owwh0my?s=e
thank you for this excellent article, Angie and thank you Evan for all the good thoughts
Thank you, Evan, –love the accompanying photo. And thank you, Angie for this article. Just what I needed to help me pray about a work situation.
As we close the door to material sense of being, we open the door to spiritual sense, Yet, we must be willing to receive its messages in order to achieve spiritual understanding.
https://journal.christianscience.com/issues/2000/1/118-1/the-healing-power-of-reverence
Thank you Carolyne. Only the first few sentences of this article appear, would love t read the whole thing. But this is what I could see, and it packed quite a punch. It said “Have You ever stopped to realize that you are living, right now, in the presence of God, the one altogether good creator and maintainer of man and the universe? And have you then felt a deep reverence for God welling up within you that made you both love Him dearly and yearn to honor Him in your life? ”
Sending love and good wishes to all in the SpiritView worldwide fellowship!
I’m sorry about this, Rose. Have you tried logging in to jsh-online?
I tried going back to the jsh archives — maybe this will work for you.
https://journal.christianscience.com/issues/2000/1/118-1/the-healing-power-of-reverence
please try this
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/2alnjqhg3y4?s
Thank you RH, this link opens the full view of the article, for those that are not subscribers to the periodicals. And thanks Carolyne for trying to assist and for choosing an excellent article to share. Appreciate both of you.
Thanks Evan, Angie and all!,
Thank you Evan for this topic. One of the most beautiful summaries on the heart of prayer I have ever read is an inspiring little book by Lucy Hayes Reynolds and Joseph Reynolds titled “Experiencing The Presence Of God”. Here is an excerpt: ….”it is in silent prayer that the action of divine Mind is experienced. As leaves are stirred by gentle breezes, so receptive thought is softly stirred in the sacred precincts of prayer. In silent prayer, thought is liberated from time, distance, and material locomotion and is free to soar in the realm of incorporeal being. With thought thus quickened, the mental mechanism of undisciplined thinking is silenced. Soul commands the senses, and matter cannot resist the harmonious, healing action of the Christ.”
Lucy Hayes Reynolds was in the public healing practice of Christian Science for 42 years. Her introduction to Christian Science was her outstanding instantaneous healing of invalidism, described in the chapter “Arise and Walk”. She wrote a number of articles for the Christian Science periodicals, and this book “Experiencing The Presence Of God” is a collection some of these articles.
Highly recommended reading to all who seek a more tangible communion with God and yearn to enter more deeply into the heart of prayer.
From a 2013 Journal article: “Throughout the day I find it helpful to hold to the idea of looking out FROM Mind. Looking out from Mind is radical oneness. In doing so, we claim no separate intelligence, ability, creativity or wisdom apart from the divine Mind. in short, we deprive mortal mind of place and power.”
This concept has really helped!
I love this thought Brewster – thank you for sharing it!
Linda- where can you get that book? Publishing Society?
Maryjane – You can also find this book through Google by entering the title and the authors.
Dear Maryjane, Years ago I purchased the book “Experiencing The Presence Of God” from The Bookmark. I see on the back cover is a website: thebookmark.com, and a phone number: 800 220-7767. Hopefully the info is still current.
Ma`ryjane – You can also find this book through Google by entering the title and the authors.
Linda thanks for the tip to check thebookmark.com, looks like it is available! A general internet search didn’t turn up much except a few very expensive copies and a few that were translations into languages other than English. This book sounds amazing, thanks for sharing,
Please be very careful about The Bookmark. It was started by Ann Beals who left the Christian Science church because she felt certain papers and documents should be printed that the Publishing Society had not printed. It was her opinion that the papers and documents needed to be circulated in order to enhance study of Christian Science. Mrs. Eddy’s textbook does not need enhancement. I believe it would be helpful if you keep that in mind.
Cheryl thanks for sharing the background info about The Bookmark. Since the book Linda kindly shared with us is a collection of articles by Lucy Hayes Reynolds, all of which previously appeared in the official Christian Science periodicals, it sounds like we’re on solid ground here.
Super. As long as we can verify that the articles did indeed appear in the CS periodicals, we are, as you said, on solid ground. If the collection is printed by The Bookmark, it doesn’t hurt to make that verification as Ms. Beals has at times changed the wording.
Why do you suppose that the articles and papers published by The Bookmark have been deliberately changed or altered, or that they are any less enlightening than much of the writing in the authorized periodicals? Besides, have the comments and thoughts included in this blog been cleared by the Publishing Society? In might be more generous to trust people find their own way on the path to greater understanding…
I would like some clarification on prayer. Please clear up my confusion. If I am praying for someone’s health condition, I should think it instead of saying it ?
Good question! I think sometimes when the material senses or the carnal mind is shouting, praying out loud can be helpful. In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 411:27 Mrs. Eddy speaks about praying for others and ends the paragraph with “..be thoroughly persuaded in your own mind concerning the truth which you think or speak, and you will be the victor.” (=
Thanks Evan. Yes being quiet, silencing all the mortal thoughts that disturb you, and entering into the heart of prayer and silently communing with God, our true friend and relative, and looking upto Him alone for everything, is magical and peaceful and heals the heart.
Thanks for the lovely guidance friends, to the article on Reverence brings healing. It was so inspiring