IS THE UNIVERSE, INCLUDING MAN, EVOLVED BY ATOMIC FORCE?

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE QUARTERLY MYBIBLELESSON © 2014 THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING SOCIETY Is the UnIverse, InclUdIng Man, evolved by atoMIc Force? Vi s i t myBibleLesson.com Dec. 15–21, 2014

IS THE UNIVERSE, INCLUDING MAN, EVOLVED

BY ATOMIC FORCE?

IS THE UNIVERSE, INCLUDING MAN, EVOLVED

BY ATOMIC FORCE?

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Golden Text Revelation 4:11

The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. 9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.

1 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. 3 . . . our God is in the heavens: he hath done what-soever he hath pleased. 1 Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. 2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

2 0 1 4

®®

Christian Science Quarterly™ Dec. 15–21

Responsive Reading Psalms 24:1, 6 (to 1st .), 9, 10 (to 1st .); 115:1, 3 our; 29:1, 2

SECTION ONE: God’s glory shows through man and the universe. Page 2

SECTION TWO: Divine power is Mind, Spirit, not matter. Page 3

SECTION THREE: The joys of life come through faith in Spirit. Page 4

SECTION FOUR: Prophesy fulfilled is God’s purpose unfolding. Page 5

SECTION FIVE: The governing Principle of life and health was proved by Jesus’s healings. Page 6

SECTION SIX: God’s glory and majesty are revealed through you and all. Page 7

THE BIBLE Section SCIENCE and HEALTH with Key to the Scriptures | Mary Baker Eddy1

2CHRISTIAN SCIENCE QUARTERLY MYBIBLELESSON © 2014 THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING SOCIETY Is the UnIverse, InclUdIng Man, evolved by atoMIc Force? Vi s i t myBibleLesson.com Dec. 15–21, 2014

1 | Isaiah 45:18 thus

hus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.

2 | Psalms 8:1, 3, 4, 6 (to ;)

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands;

3 | Psalms 66:5 (to :), 7 (to ;), 8

Come and see the works of God: 7 He ruleth by his power for ever; 8 O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:

1 | 509:16–17

God forms and

Rarefaction of thought

peoples the universe.

2 | 114:27–29

27 In divine Science, the universe, including man, is spiritual, harmonious, and eternal.

3 | 516:9–12, 19

9 God fashions all things, after His own likeness. Life is reflected in existence, Truth in truthfulness, God in goodness, which impart their own peace and 12 permanence.

Love imparts beauty

Man, made in His likeness, possesses and reflects God’s domin- 21 ion over all the earth. Man and woman as coexistent and eternal with God forever reflect, in glorified quality, the infinite Father-Mother God.

4 | 124:14

The universe, like man, is to be interpreted by Science 15 from its divine Principle, God, and then it can be understood; but when explained on the basis of physical sense and represented as subject to

Right interpretation

18 growth, maturity, and decay, the universe, like man, is, and must continue to be, an enigma.

5 | 128:4–6

The term Science, properly understood, refers only to the laws of God and to His government of the universe, 6 inclusive of man.

6 | 68:27–30

27 Christian Science presents unfoldment, not accretion; it manifests no material growth from molecule to mind, but an impartation of the divine Mind to man 30 and the universe.

God’s creation intact

7 | 520:3–5 (to .)

3 Unfathomable Mind is expressed. The depth, breadth, height, might, majesty, and glory of infinite Love fill all space.

established: set up permanently; fully accepted; rootedordained: appointed; set in place; given holy purpose; anointed mindful: conscious; aware; alertrarefaction: the process of making a thing more spiritual; refiningpeoples: populates; fills with inhabitantsenigma: baffling mystery; something that’s difficult to explain or understand; paradoxunfoldment: the development of a thing or idea; advancementaccretion: accumulation; addition; buildupimpartation: communication; disclosure; transmissionunfathomable: unable to be fully understood, explored, or imagined; profound

t

Yeah, with lots of stars!

Moovie Director Moovie

Producer

The universe unfolds from divine Mind, Spirit, as the expression of God’s glory.

Let’s make a movie about that!

Come, see the glorious things God has

done. . . . Because of his great power

he rules forever. . . . Let everyone bless

God and sing his praises;

—Psalms 66:5, 7, 8 The Living Bible

Notice all the good about today, and give the credit to God.


THE BIBLE Section SCIENCE and HEALTH with Key to the Scriptures | Mary Baker Eddy28 | 307:25 The

The divine Mind is the Soul of man, and gives man dominion over all things. Man 27 was not created from a material basis, nor bidden to obey material laws which Spirit never

Higher statutes

made; his province is in spiritual statutes, in the higher 30 law of Mind.

9 | 183:19–21

Laws of nature are laws of Spirit; but mortals

Laws of nature spiritual

commonly recognize as law that which hides the power of 21 Spirit.

10 | 547:15

15 In its history of mortality, Darwin’s theory of evolution from a material basis is more consistent than most theories. Briefly, this is Darwin’s theory, — that 18 Mind produces its opposite, matter, and endues matter with power to recreate the universe, including man. Ma- terial evolution implies that the great First Cause must 21 become material, and afterwards must either return to Mind or go down into dust and nothingness.

11 | 123:11

The verity of Mind shows conclusively how it is that 12 matter seems to be, but is not. Divine Science, rising above physical theories, excludes matter,

Seeming and being

resolves things into thoughts, and replaces the objects of 15 material sense with spiritual ideas.

12 | 249:1

1 Let us accept Science, relinquish all theories based on sense-testimony, give up imperfect models and illusive 3 ideals; and so let us have one God, one Mind, and that one perfect, producing His own models of excellence.

13 | 143:26–31

Mind is the grand creator, and there can be no power 27 except that which is derived from Mind. If Mind was first chronologically, is first potentially, and must be first eternally, then give to Mind the 30 glory, honor, dominion, and power everlastingly due its holy name.

4 | Psalms 19:1, 4 (to .)

he heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth,

and their words to the end of the world.

5 | Psalms 145:10, 11

All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. 11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;

6 | Psalms 139:7–10, 14

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

7 | Romans 13:1

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

T

firmament: heavens; sky handiwork: something someone has made; creation; achievement

uttermost: greatest or highest degree; farthestbidden: called; commanded; invitedprovince: dominion; authoritystatutes: laws; decrees; commands; proclamationsendues: equips; provides a quality or abilityconclusively: (form of conclude) finally; clearly; decisivelyrelinquish: give something up; let go; yield

Great writing, Woolard! I can tell you’re listening

to God.

Writing Department

If I climb to the sky, you’re

there! If I go underground,

you’re there!

—Psalms 139:8 The Message

Impossible coalescence

Cow, sheep, man, and the universe evolve from Mind, not matter.

How clearly the sky reveals God’s glory! How plainly it shows what he has done! . . . their message goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth. Psalms 19:1, 4 (in part)—Good News Translation

Mary Baker Eddy defines “atomic action” in an interesting way in Miscellaneous Writings, p. 190:1.

Charles Darwin (1809–1882) lived around the same time as Eddy (1821–1910). He began to develop his theory of evolution, a theory of how plants and animals develop and change over time, from 1836–1838 and

began publishing his ideas in the years following. His most significant book on the subject, On the Origin of Species, came out in 1859, and from then on, his theories were widely known and debated.

See what happens when you rely on divine Mind for guidance

throughout today.


THE BIBLE Section SCIENCE and HEALTH with Key to the Scriptures | Mary Baker Eddy38 | Hebrews 11:3

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

9 | Mark 10:27 2nd with God

with God all things are possible.

10 | Luke 1:5–7, 11–14, 16, 17, 19 I am

here was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of

Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blame-less. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 19 I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

14 | 297:20–24

Faith is higher and more spiritual than belief. It is 21 a chrysalis state of human thought, in which spiritual evidence, contradicting the testimony of material sense, begins to appear, and Truth, the

Faith higher than belief

24 ever-present, is becoming understood.

15 | 298:28–30

Angels are pure thoughts from God,

Thought- angels

winged with Truth and Love, no matter what their indi- 30 vidualism may be.

16 | 299:7–11

My angels are exalted thoughts, appearing at the door of some sepulchre, in which human belief has buried 9 its fondest earthly hopes. With white fingers they point upward to a new and glo-

Our angelic messengers

rified trust, to higher ideals of life and its joys.

17 | 255:6

6 The mythical human theories of creation, anciently classified as the higher criticism, sprang from cultured scholars in Rome and in Greece, but they 9 afforded no foundation for accurate views of creation by the divine Mind.

18 | 510:28

Sci- ence reveals only one Mind, and this one shin-

Spiritual subdivision

30 ing by its own light and governing the universe, including 1 man, in perfect harmony. This Mind forms ideas, its own images, subdivides and radiates their borrowed light, 3 intelligence, and so explains the Scripture phrase, “whose seed is in itself.” T hus God’s ideas “multiply and re- plenish the earth.” The divine Mind supports the sub- 6 limity, magnitude, and infinitude of spiritual creation.

course: division or order of priests named for a specific family or dutychrysalis: transitional state; an insect in

the transition from pupa to adult; the protective casing in which an insect makes the transition to adulthoodsepulchre: protective space for laying the dead, usually cut into rock or made of stone; gravemythical: fictional; fantastical; legendarysublimity: awe-inspiring excellence, grandeur, or beautymagnitude: greatness; vastnessinfinitude: quality or condition of being infinite; endlessness

T

Since it’s an expression of creative Mind, I knew it would unfold.

I’m grateful we had faith that this project, months in planning,

would finally be completed.

Altar where incense

would have been burned

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see

did not come from anything that can be seen. Hebrews 11:3—New Living Translation

What does faith mean to you? Use the ideas

in this section to help you.

ON THIS OCCASION, Zacharias had the important job of per-forming the daily incense offering in the temple. This happened each morning and evening right after the sacrifices that were

given at those times. The smoke from the incense sym-bolized a prayer of the people rising up to God and was followed by the priest blessing the people of Israel.

THE BIBLE Section SCIENCE and HEALTH with Key to the Scriptures | Mary Baker Eddy


419 | 588:7

HOLY GHOST. Divine Science; the development of eternal Life, Truth, and Love.

20 | 29:24

24 The Holy Ghost, or divine Spirit, overshadowed the pure sense of the Virgin-mother with the full recog- nition that being is Spirit. The Christ dwelt forever 27 an idea in the bosom of God, the divine Principle of the man Jesus, and woman perceived this spiritual idea, though at first faintly developed.

21 | 332:23 (only), 26

Jesus was the son of a virgin.

Mary’s conception of

Christ Jesus

27 him was spiritual, for only purity could reflect Truth and Love, which were plainly incarnate in the good and pure Christ Jesus. He expressed the highest type of 30 divinity, which a fleshly form could express in that age. Into the real and ideal man the fleshly element cannot enter. Thus it is that Christ illustrates the coincidence, 1 or spiritual agreement, between God and man in His image.

22 | 258:13–16

God expresses in man the infinite idea forever develop- ing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from 15 a boundless basis. Mind manifests all that exists in the infinitude of Truth.

23 | 547:25

The true theory of the universe, including man, is not in 27 material history but in spiritual development.

True theory of the

universe Inspired thought relinquishes a material, sensual, and mortal theory of the universe, and adopts the spiritual and 30 immortal.

11 | Isaiah 7:11, 14 Behold

Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. 14 Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

12 | Luke 1:26 the angel, 27, 30–35, 38–42, 46, 47

he angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. 39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

espoused: engagedhandmaid: servanthaste: speed

saluted: greeteddivinity: godliness; holinesscoincidence: coexistence; relationship of one thing or idea to another; correlation; union

t

You can deepen your understanding of Jesus’s birth by checking out “What Christmas Means to Me” in Eddy’s The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, pp. 261–263.

What are some qualities of inspired thought? What ideas from this section

can help you be inspired right now?



24 | 83:12

12 Miracles are impossible in Science, and here Science takes issue with popular religions. The scientific mani- festation of power is from the divine nature 15 and is not supernatural, since Science is an

Natural wonders

explication of nature. The belief that the universe, including man, is governed in general by material laws, but 18 that occasionally Spirit sets aside these laws, — this belief belittles omnipotent wisdom, and gives to matter the precedence over Spirit.

25 | 131:26–4

The mission of Jesus confirmed prophecy, and ex- 27 plained the so-called miracles of olden time as natural demonstrations of the divine power, demonstrations which were not understood. Jesus’ works 30 established his claim to the Messiahship. In

John the Baptist, and the Messiah

reply to John’s inquiry, “Art thou he that should come,” 1 Jesus returned an affirmative reply, recounting his works instead of referring to his doctrine, confident that this 3 exhibition of the divine power to heal would fully answer the question.

26 | 328:30

30 The purpose of his great life-work extends through time and includes universal humanity. Its Principle is infinite, reaching beyond the pale of a 1 single period or of a limited following. As time moves on, the healing elements of pure Christianity will be fairly 3 dealt with; they will be sought and taught, and will glow in all the grandeur of universal goodness.

27 | 144:27

27 When the Science of being is universally understood, every man will be his own physician, and Truth will be the universal panacea.

13 | II Corinthians 4:6 God

God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

14 | Luke 2:52

nd Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

15 | Luke 7:16, 19, 21, 22

And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

16 | I Peter 4:11 (to 1st .)

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.

5

stature: height; maturityexplication: explanationbelittles: lessens the authority, dignity,

or reputation of; treats something as having little value or importance; downgrades; minimizesprecedence: greater importance; priority; superiorityMessiahship: position of savior or liberatoraffirmative: agreeing; approving; consentingpale: limits

A . . . God, who said, “Let

there be light in the darkness,”

has made us understand that it

is the brightness of his glory that is

seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

—II Corinthians 4:6 The Living Bible

THE WORD ORACLES was used to translate a variety of words in ancient languages. Everywhere that it appears

in the New Testament, it’s a translation of the Greek word logia (λόγια), which means messages received directly from God. In the Old Testament, oracles can also mean people or things that receive or carry God’s messages, or messages from the dead or from other gods. The followers of Jesus believed only in the one God that Jesus taught, and rejected the reality of messages from any supernatural source.

If you have the gift of speaking, preach God’s message. If you have the gift of helping others, do it with the strength that

God supplies. Everything should be done in a way that will bring honor to God because of Jesus Christ, who is glorious and powerful forever. . . .

I Peter 4:11 (in part)—Contemporary English Version

Hey, buddy. Remember, God’s right here, the one and only

source of ability and renewal.

I’m feeling exhausted. I need a quick trip to a sunny beach right now.



28 | 135:9

9 Spiritual evolution alone is worthy of the exercise of divine power.

29 | 506:18

18 Spirit, God, gathers unformed thoughts into their proper channels, and unfolds these thoughts, even as He opens the petals of a holy purpose

Unfolding of thoughts

21 in order that the purpose may appear.

30 | 264:3–7

3 The crude crea- tions of mortal thought must finally give place

Mind’s true camera

to the glorious forms which we sometimes behold in the 6 camera of divine Mind, when the mental picture is spiritual and eternal.

31 | 209:16

The compounded minerals or aggregated substances composing the earth, the relations which constituent 18 masses hold to each other, the magnitudes, distances, and revolutions of the celestial

Spiritual translation

bodies, are of no real importance, when we remember 21 that they all must give place to the spiritual fact by the translation of man and the universe back into Spirit. In proportion as this is done, man and the universe will be 24 found harmonious and eternal.

32 | 323:9

9 Beholding the infinite tasks of

A bright outlook

truth, we pause, — wait on God. Then we push onward, until boundless thought walks enraptured, and concep- 12 tion unconfined is winged to reach the divine glory.

17 | Isaiah 14:27 the

he Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

18 | Isaiah 60:19 the Lord

the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

19 | I Chronicles 29:11

Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

6

disannul: frustrate; annul; thwart; stopexalted: lifted up; elevated; made superiorchannels: lengths of water connecting two

larger bodies of water; passageways; pathscrude: unfinished; inferiorglorious: beautiful; magnificent; wondrous; sublimecompounded: made of two or more complete but individual elements; combined; blendedaggregated: collected; gathered together; totaledconstituent masses: things that have weight and shape and are made up of different elements (for example, planets)magnitudes: sizes; dimensions; degrees of brightnesscelestial: of the sky; heavenly; stellarenraptured: given great pleasure or joy; delighted; enthralled; thrilledconception: the state of one’s reflective thinking and/or beliefs; understanding unconfined: freed of limitation; unrestricted; liberatedwinged: lifted; elevated; given to flight

t

God’s Glory!

I love it! 7 billion

MOOVIE PRODUCER

MOOVIE DIRECTOR

WOW!!! 7 billion hits on MooTube so far ! It’s like everyone’s

watching our movie.

God gets the glory for that, too.

What shall we do next?

The LORD who rules over all has planned it. Who can stop him?He has reached out his powerful hand. Who can keep him from using it? Isaiah 14:27—New International Reader’s Version

Watch for all the glorious

forms of divine Mind today!

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE QUARTERLY MYBIBLELESSON © 2014 THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING SOCIETY Is the UnIverse, InclUdIng Man, evolved by atoMIc Force? Vi s i t myBibleLesson.com Dec. 15–21, 2014

8

I felt strongly that no matter what situation I found myself in, the law of God’s love

was the absolute governing force.

fter I graduated from college and was living in the Chicago area, it occurred to me that maybe I

should move to Los Angeles and work in the film industry. It took me a few months to be obedient to what more and more started to feel like a divine idea. I knew I had much to learn about the film business and about the real world in general. I was afraid I wouldn’t “make it” or be successful.

But I had just gone through Christian Science class instruction, so I felt strongly that no matter what situation I found my-self in, the law of God’s love was the abso-lute governing force. I was comforted to know that God, divine Love, would always guide and direct me. I finally made the de-cision to move when I learned that a family friend needed a roommate in Los Angeles. I didn’t know this friend particularly well, and I didn’t even know if I’d be able to pay for rent beyond the first month, but I felt a deep-rooted confidence in divine Mind’s direction—that step by step the path would unfold. It was this same friend who connected me to my first job, which started as an unpaid internship and eventually led to more work.

Mary Baker Eddy’s definition of angels describes what I feel my current job in the film industry is about. She defines angels as “God’s thoughts passing to man” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 581). Elsewhere she elucidates their embodi-ment of pure and perfect ideas that light our path (see Miscellaneous Writings, pp. 306–307).

So angels give us a spiritual vision we might not have had before. This is pertinent to the film industry, because I can think of no better words to apply to the heart of film than vision, idea, and inspiration. To me, the true substance of the industry lies in the exchange of ideas—the shared vision of a director, producer, writer, actor, production designer, and cinematographer. The work I do is about nurturing ideas, being obedi-ent to inspiration, and recognizing every day that there is one Mind governing all. In other words, my work is all about listening to angels.

As an assistant to a literary agent, I help writers and directors fulfill their dreams of seeing their ideas appear on-screen. I help find studios and production companies looking for talent, and then match our cli-

ents to the right projects. At its purest form, I would describe this process as God’s sym-phony of angels working together in har-mony.

Yet, I find that the mounting pressures of my own ambition, the obstacles of being in a bottom-line oriented creative industry, and the never-ending competition often feel insurmountable. This makes me turn wholeheartedly to God for guidance and inspiration—for a reminder of what my true purpose is.

I find comfort in the Bible story of the pool of Bethesda (see John 5:2–9). In the same way that the pool was surrounded with people waiting for healing, Los Ange-les, to me, seems filled with people clam-oring for success and fame, a desperation that seems to haunt even the most confi-dent executives, producers, and talent. It can be extremely difficult to handle the no-tion that no matter how good one is at his job, he can be instantly replaced. It seems as though crowds are standing by the way-side, waiting for a ripple to move across the surface of the film industry and provide them their “big break.”

When I first moved to Los Angeles, I

A

Lights! Camera! Angels! BY MEGAN

continued on next page


dove deeper into the meaning of this Bible story. I began to understand Jesus’ words to the lame man, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk” (John 5:8). I felt as if I was waiting end-lessly to enter the film industry, waiting for someone to give me my chance. The lame man thought healing required a benevolent angel to ripple the pool, and then someone to carry him to the water. This belief was rendered needless by the pure and perfect healing Christ.

This story has helped me overcome the belief that my expression of God could be dependent on an angel of chance. I can ac-knowledge, through my understanding of Christian Science, that the film industry and my journey in it are governed by divine Prin-ciple, God.

When someone gets her big break and it seems like a miracle, this is only the belief that good things that happen aren’t a natu-ral expression of our God-given talent. A big break can actually be thought of as evidence of God’s plan unfolding as it should. No one has more good than anyone else, because goodness is given to all of us from God, like unrestricted sunshine that we all enjoy.

And since God gives good to all of us, we don’t really need to pray to get it—only to pray to become conscious of the presence of God’s government, and to know that no industry or career is exempt from His rule. As I’ve learned from Science and Health, prayer brings us into the consciousness of God’s omnipresent harmony (see p. 2). So my life is less about trying to be something—trying to be a producer, writer, or director—and more about recognizing who I already am, forever preserved in God’s perfect plan, even if I don’t always know what that plan is.

I recently had an experience that made me rely heavily on prayer and listen for God’s angels. I had interviewed for jobs ex-tensively, including at major literary agen-

cies. I interviewed several times at a very large agency and only once at a smaller one. I ended up losing a job to my best friend at the large agency.

Three months later, she called me to tell me her work visa had been denied, so her job was opening up. Not five minutes later, her boss called and offered me the position. Just three months prior I would have jumped at the job, but now some-thing made me pause. I asked for a few days to think about it, and in those few

days I weighed all the pros and cons. I was afraid that my human ambition was keep-ing me from seeing a good opportunity, but I was also afraid that if I took the job for the wrong reasons, I would be miserable. I prayed fervently for an answer.

Gratefully, I knew that no matter which choice I made, God would continuously care for me. When I finally called back, I still didn’t know what to say, and then found

myself saying that I couldn’t commit to the job for the required year. Instantly, I knew that was the right decision. Some months later, the smaller agency I had interviewed with called about a job. I knew this was ex-actly the right thing for me. I felt comfort-able being part of the culture of this agency, and their perspective on the film industry matched my own. Plus, I felt such a deep sense of peace about the decision, which far outweighed any nervousness I felt about starting a new job.

God speaks to us clearly in ways we can understand, though His pure and perfect angel messages might seem to fall com-pletely outside the realm of human logic and desire. I haven’t always had great jobs. But when I’ve acknowledged that my life unfolds according to God’s plan, which is far more meaningful than anything else, I have seen opportunities come together.

I feel that I moved to California for a life that was waiting for me. My life today is all about staying focused on God, rejoicing in the beauty of the one divine Mind. This mind-set gives me humility when collabo- rating with artists and taking direction from my boss—humbly acknowledging that suc-cess isn’t about the accumulation of hours, relationships, and credits, but rather it’s about the peace that comes from recog-nizing the abundant kindness, intelligence, and joy, which are present every step of the way. I truly feel I am bearing witness to God’s angels coordinating and performing a beautiful symphony of inspiring ideas.

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Lights! Camera! Angels! continued

When I’ve acknowledged

that my life unfolds according to God’s

plan, I have seen opportunities

come together.

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This article was originally published in the Jan. 2012 issue of The Christian Science Journal.

You can find this piece (and thousands more!) at jsh.christianscience.com.

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BIBLE INFO:TRANSLATIONS: All Scriptural quotations used in the text of myBibleLesson are taken from the King James Version of The Holy Bible, unless otherwise indicated.

The following are verbally equivalent translations used for In Other Words. These translations tend to use the oldest available and most recently discovered manuscripts to translate the literal meaning of the text word-for-word.Amplified Bible: Scriptural quotations marked Amplified Bible are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Contemporary English Version: Scriptural quotations marked Contemporary English Version are taken from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

New International Version: Scriptural quotations marked New International Version are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

New Revised Standard Version: Scriptural quotations marked New Revised Standard Version are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Revised English Bible: Scriptural quotations marked Revised English Bible are taken from the Revised English Bible © Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press 1989.

Revised Standard Version: Scriptural quotations marked Revised Standard Version are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The following dynamically equivalent translations are used for In Other Words. These translations attempt to convey the thoughts expressed in the text in common, everyday English.Good News Translation: Scriptural quotations marked Good News Translation are taken from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version—Second Edition Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

New English Bible: Scriptural quotations marked New English Bible are taken from the New English Bible © Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press 1961, 1970.

New International Reader’s Version: Scriptural quotations marked New International Reader’s Version are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®. Copyright 1996, 1998 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

New Living Translation: Scriptural quotations marked New Living Translation are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The following paraphrases are used for In Other Words. These are not literal translations, rather they attempt to present to modern readers the text’s tone, rhythm, and ideas as its earliest audiences might have experienced it.The Living Bible: Scriptural quotations marked The Living Bible are taken from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message: Scriptural quotations marked The Message are taken from The Message, copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

IS THE UNIVERSE, INCLUDING MAN, EVOLVED BY ATOMIC FORCE?

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