handling serpents

As I study this week's Bible lesson it is clear that when we decide to apply Christian Science to our challenges one of the first things we need to do is to deal with fear. Fear is at the base of every problem. How often Jesus would begin his 'treatments' by calming the fear of those around him. Fear not. Do not be afraid.

One example of this happened to Moses. Raised for 40 years as a prince in Egypt, he kills someone and must run for his life. He ends up in the desert, serving as a humble shepherd for the next 40 years. Then God gives him a mission. He is to go back to Egypt and speak with the Pharoah to let the children of Israel go free. Moses listens to this assignment and begins to tell God all the reasons this is not a good idea. He considers himself 'slow of speech'. He fears that the people will not understand what was being revealed to him. These are common fears for those who wish to be practitioners, to devote their time and energy to helping people through prayer, spiriual healing.

One arguement that presents itself would be fear that we would not know just what to say if someone asked us for help. That we would be 'slow of speech'. It is God who is bringing the person in need together with one who will provide the answers. Your practice is not the people who call you for help. People call you for help because of your practice of Christian Science. Many times, when I am studying or working with a metaphysical idea, someone will call who needs exactly what I have been reading. "Before you call, I will answer". I don't need to look something up, it is right there in front of me. Or I made the effort to get to the mid-week service, which includes time for testimonies of healing. I may have heard exactly the phrase I would need for the next call. So if this is the work God is preparing me for, how can I ever accept the idea that I would be slow of speech. I am the image and likeness of Mind and already include all right ideas, and the willingness and desire to share them.

Moses was afraid that the people would not understand what was being revealed to him. Mrs. Eddy explains that all intercommunication is directly from God to His ideas. Each of us understands what Mind is telling us. At all times and under all circumstances.

To illustrate His point God has Moses drop his shepherd's rod on the ground. In an earlier post I talked about how this rod was his symbol of authority, his means of protecting his flock. Moses sees it turn into a dangerous serpent and he runs away from it. God tells him to pick it up by the tail. You've got to be kidding, Lord! But Moses obeys, he turns around and faces his fear. And when he grasps it, it turns back to the rod it had been all along. Moses was no longer fooled by the illusion that danger was present. This is another part of what the practitioner does. There is nothing to fear, nothing present that can harm, no danger. That illusion has no power to frighten us.

I'll be thinking about those ideas today as I am called upon to handle serpents.

Go in peace.