“Watch, and pray daily that evil suggestions, in whatever guise, take no root in your thought nor bear fruit. Ofttimes examine yourselves, and see if there be found anywhere a deterrent of Truth and Love, and ‘hold fast that which is good.’”
~ Mary Baker Eddy, Miscellany, p. 128.
It’s so easy for those subtle negative thought to try to claim power. (This happens to me particularly when driving!) Immediate rejection is the best possible course of action. Otherwise, they can spread like weeds!
A friend once told me of the insidiousness of bamboo. It may look pretty, but it spreads easily and quickly, and is very destructive – also hard to eradicate. He told of some that was planted outside a house that spread so fast and aggressively that despite attempts to get rid of it, it actually destroyed the entire house by growing up through the foundation and walls! Negative/evil thoughts are very much like that. They may seem harmless, even attractive, but even a little left unchecked can wreak serious havoc!
The importance of a strong foundation, reinforced daily, can’t be understated. Thanks so much for this reminder!
Been thinking, there is a desire
in every heart… covered with error,
so seemingly secret or hidden,
yet when uncovered, known to have
always been there.
We are God’s desire, we really only
want what God wants… and we are
gaining more and more awareness
of what this desire is….
Thank you Maximo, for another great poem – so lovely 🙂
hi maximo, I dare to continue a little your inspired poem :
as Gods desire
we exactly want
what God wants;
God wants us to express Him
perfectly in every aspect –
in seeing, hearing, feeling
only
H i m
– these thoughts came me this evening – at 11,15 p.m. here in Hamburg –
Oh Uta, ……thank you so much for these beautifully thoughtful additions
Please feel free to continue to
express your poetic love for God
I would love all of our family
to take complete liberty with
anything I write….
Uta, you have inspired me
Evan you are so appreciated
and continue to inspire us to
open to the Life and Glory of God
Hi to Maximo and Uta,
Thanks for the poem and
for adding to it.
And the wonderful quote from Mary Baker Eddy. Thanks Evan!
So important to pray daily
to guard our thoughts, words and actions
and keep them in line with God’s thoughts of us!
Great photo. I appreciate that the images you use celebrate the richness of diversity.
Dear Ellen, today the insidiousness of bamboo is totally taken away by gardeners.
Here in Germany I have 9 bamboos in my garden as hatch and it does not spread from the root because gardeners have recultivated them back, so that there is no more any negative growing of the bamboos I have in my garden, am lucky about that, as I love bamboos, and my guinea-pigs love the tender leaves of the bomboosort I have planted.
But I do understand you, because decades ago my parents had such a nasty bamboosort in their garden. And they had difficulties to root it out completely.
While car driving I have the same experience like Ellen described in his/her first paragraph. But since Evan shortly had a SV about Spirit-woman/Spirit-man, I always start driving with the asurance to be a Spirit-woman and as such I am driving with God and God has the whole traffic under His loving control.
These thoughts help to be aware that only God`s thoughts lead us.
The lesson sermon each morning help us to start a prayerful day.
Thank you Evan for that important reminder which seems not so easy. Because sometimes you find yourself trapped by false views. But that is a challenge to step forward to good, Gods thoughts. I am very grateful for the absolute Good we learn in Christian Science 🙂
I am so grateful for all of the comments posted here. Blessings to all today.
Thank you all.
Thanks, Evan, for the reminder. Someone once pointed out to me how in our sixth tenet Mrs. Eddy put a comma after “watch,” as she did in this quote also. Watching—“standing porter at the door of thought”—is so important and then we pray “for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus”—or as in this quote “pray daily…” I was grateful for that small detail that was pointed out to me years ago, and wanted to share it. Thanks always for all you do, and for the other comments made.
Wonderful inspiration, all! Thank you
Goodness you are
in all ways
seen or unseen,
and the day may bring
the seeing of
the unseen,
and reveal the beauty
of God’s way.