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Let the radiant light and recipes of Soul reveal your true identity!
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Weekly Bible Lesson on the subject
“Soul and Body” for the week of May 18 – 26, 2009
Prepared by Janet Hegarty, C.S. of St. Louis, MO
[with bracketed italics by Warren Huff]

Editor’s Note: The following application ideas for this week and the Possible Sunday School Topics that follow are offered primarily to help CEDARS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and demonstrate the great value of daily study and application of the Christian Science Bible lessons year-round, not just at camp! You can sign up to have them emailed to you free — in English by Monday each week, or by each Wednesday you can get a FREE TRANSLATION in French from Pascal or in Spanish from Ana. JUST SIGN UP at www.cedarscamps.org/newsletters

In one of his songs, Bruce Cockburn, a popular singer and songwriter from Canada, asks the question, “What is the Soul of a man?” Let’s explore the lesson this week to find the answer [We can also find and follow the “recipe for beauty” and for the daily grace of Soul that feeds “the famished affections” and “brings to the body the sunlight of Truth, which invigorates and purifies.” S&H 247:28 (S24), 17:5 and 162:4].

Golden Text: Don’t be afraid, God will inspire you to sing. The children of Israel thought they had escaped from slavery in Egypt. But suddenly, the sight of Egyptian chariots moving fast along the horizon, stirring up huge clouds of dust with their thundering wheels and the pounding hooves of their horses, frightened the Israelites. There was no apparent way to escape. They were surrounded by impossible obstacles on every side; the Red Sea, a treacherous desert, a steep, jagged mountain range, and the Egyptian army. In this hopeless situation they called out to God for help. Moses, their leader, was confident that God would save them. He held his staff high over the sea, a churning dark mass of water whipped by the heaving wind, great waves rising higher and higher. Then the frightened crowd saw a path appear through the rising waves, a ribbon of land, dried by the winds, stretching all the way across the sea. The people marched forward, full of hope and wonder, they moved swiftly along the ribbon of land. After the last Israelite had arrived on the opposite shore, the great waves of water covered over the pathway that had carried the people to safety and so, secured their final freedom from the Egyptians. (Exodus 14:10-31) Then Moses and all the people praised God with a joyous song. The words of the Golden Text are part of the song they sang. “The Lord gives me strength and makes me sing; he has saved me.” (New Century Version) If you ever feel like the Israelites felt, stuck in a bad situation with no way out, remember, in the book of Luke it says, “… with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37) [Follow the recipe for the daily, affection-feeding grace of keeping a song in your heart:] The ways and means of Soul, God, are unlimited. Follow Moses lead, trust in the infinite power of Soul to open up a sure way to gain your freedom and complete safety. Then you, too, will have a song of praise to sing!

Responsive Reading: Soul, God is the source of your being. In the Kettle Moraine State Forest in southern Wisconsin you can take a short hike to the source of a river. The source is called Paradise Springs. At the springs, water is gushing out of the earth at the rate of 5,000 gallons per minute. Paradise Springs was discovered over 100 years ago and the water has been pouring out continuously at the same rate throughout all the known years. When you stand and watch the water well up from the earth and spill out to form the river, it’s clear that this source is giving power and substance to the river. If the springs stopped flowing, the river would quickly run dry. It would be impossible for this source to exist without having a river as its natural outcome. It would be equally impossible for the river to either obstruct or enhance the activity of its source. The verses from Job and Psalms in the Responsive Reading identify Soul, God as the source of man’s being and man as the outcome of Soul. God’s power is the only power man has. Man’s capacities; intelligence, action, strength, spiritual understanding, and goodness, do not originate in man; they pour out from Soul, God. To understand this relationship with our source is to be free – to “walk at liberty.” These lines from the second verse of Hymn 224 in the Christian Science Hymnal give us a good description of the true man and his perfect, indestructible relationship with Soul. “All good, where’er it may be found, its source doth find in Thee; I must have all things and abound, while God is God to me.” [Follow the recipe for the daily, affection-feeding grace of inexhaustibility and freedom:] Discover your true source and be free!

Section 1: How does Soul relate to the body? If you were to take a quick survey of how the various religions and philosophies of the world define “soul” you would find that most consider the soul to be something that dwells in the body and belongs to an individual. Some also consider the soul to have various characters; a wicked soul, a good soul, and so forth. In this section of the lesson you will find a thorough discussion of how Christian Science defines soul and how this understanding of soul relates to the body. The Christian Science definition of soul is very different from the one presented by other religions and philosophies. The citations from the Bible show the creative and animating power of God, Soul, which gives man freedom from the limitations of a mortal, matter-based existence. (B1, B2, B3) The citations in Science and Health explain that Soul is God and is never in the body. Soul evolves Life and is immortal and infinite. (S1) We are encouraged to let go of “the false sense of Soul” – the general belief that soul is in the body – to find immortality, the unlimited Life that man reflects but does not contain. (S1) The Christian Science explanation of Soul solves the mysterious questions that arise from the false theory that soul dwells in the body. These questions – Why hasn’t anyone ever seen a soul in the body? And how or when or why does the soul leave the body? – are easily answered through the understanding that Soul does not and never will dwell in the body. (S3) Man’s real identity, which is entirely “spiritual and eternal”, is found in Soul. (S4) [Follow the recipe for the daily, affection-feeding grace of a limitless identity:] Embrace your true identity as the reflection of Soul and you will find your freedom from any false sense of limitation.

Section 2: Keep your violin in tune. The strings of a violin are very sensitive. They are held in place by pressure applied to four small wooden pegs. Because of this, changes in temperature and humidity can easily change the tension on the strings and over time, if the violin has not been tuned frequently, the strings can become terribly out of tune. To bring the strings back in tune the violinist must gradually tighten each of the strings. He must work persistently turning the peg to tighten the string but take care not to break the string and at the same time apply just the right amount of pressure so the peg doesn’t slip and cause him to have to start the process all over again. It is a laborious and time consuming process. But, if a violin is tuned every day, the violinist will only need to touch up the tuning. The violin will be ready to play in less than a minute. In much the same way, a Christian Scientist needs to keep his or her thought consistently in tune with the Truth, staying alert to the spiritual facts, continuously praising God “for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (B4) Jesus’ thought was always in tune with the Truth. He was always ready to heal the sick. (B5) He was never impressed by symptoms of illness because he was always keenly aware of God’s allness, goodness, and power. When a man came to Jesus and asked him to heal his son, Jesus’ thought was in tune with the Truth, and he healed the boy immediately. (B6) [Follow the recipe for the daily, affection-feeding grace of keeping thought tuned to healing:] To keep your thought in tune with the healing Truth; praise God all through the day; think about the healings in the Bible and read the accounts of healings in the periodicals; also, put the rules for healing that are found in sections S7 and S9 into practice this week.

Section 3: Destroy the error, love the man. The parable of the lost sheep demonstrates the perfect unfailing love of God for each one of us. This love destroys all error, diligently seeking each of us out when we are lost in sin, casting out the sin, but never condemning the man. (B11) As Hymn 340 tells us, “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea; There’s a kindness in His justice, which is more than liberty.” The Pharisees and scribes were always eager to condemn the man along with the sin. (B11) They couldn’t understand the perfect spiritual nature of man because they believed that soul was in the body and that soul could sin. This mistake hid the Truth about man from the Pharisees and contributed to their mistaken self-righteousness. Unlike the Pharisees, Jesus, was under the control of Soul, wholly governed by the justice and mercy of God. He was never tempted to make himself look more important by condemning others or by labeling them as unworthy because he understood man, the reflection of Soul, could never be unworthy. The mission of Jesus was to show, the falsity of all erroneous beliefs and the worthiness of the real man. (S11) You are that real man and woman of God’s creating, always worthy of God’s love. If you find that your prayers uncover sin in your own thought or if a friend points out one of your faults, don’t get angry at your friend or condemn yourself. Wonderful progress always comes when error has been uncovered. Let the gentle love of Love cast out error and rejoice that you have been freed from it. [Follow the recipe for the daily, affection-feeding grace of sin-free worthiness:] Sin has never been a part of Soul’s reflection. You are worthy and will always be worthy of Love!

Section 4: A spiritual understanding of Soul breaks through the barriers of time. The idea that the origin of man was in matter and that man lives in a material body, isolated from Spirit, limits man’s abilities. (S17) When we reverse this false sense of creation and in its place we understand that man is one with Soul, we find that we have unlimited access to the power and grace of God. “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” (B15) As we continue to make spiritual progress in demonstrating our oneness with Soul, our health and strength must be ever increasing. (S16) Matter has no power to stop this natural spiritual process. The mere ticking of the clock cannot stop the unstoppable, God impelled, progress of Spirit. To break through the barriers of time “look away from the body into Truth and love…” then “hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true.” (S18) Through this simple process you will overcome the false suggestion that matter has power over you. Like the actor, whose love of acting was stronger than his belief of pain, you will find that you are capable of doing more than you ever imagined possible. (S18, S19) [Follow the recipe for the daily, affection-feeding grace of timeless accomplishments:] You are “the radiance of Soul” [in each and every one of God’s days.] (S21) Be sure to let your immortal light shine clear and bright!

Section 5: Soul sends forth its beauty to shine in every one of us and in all creation. Are we “awake” to the ever-present beauty of Soul? (B16) This beauty doesn’t need be purchased at the mall; you already include this beauty in your real identity. It doesn’t fade with time or go out of fashion either. This beauty is the garment “of salvation,” the God-given understanding of your natural goodness, honesty, and immortality. (B17) “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.” (B18) In the glossary of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy defines Zion as, “Spiritual foundation and superstructure; inspiration; spiritual strength.” Your beauty springs from this spiritual foundation; it is the outpouring of Love’s inspirations in our consciousness, the glory of moral strength expressed in our actions. We are the “offspring” of Soul, and beauty, goodness, and purity abounds in our spiritual genealogy. (S22) The American Heritage Dictionary defines beauty as, “The quality that gives pleasure to the mind or senses and is associated with such properties as harmony of form or color, excellence of artistry, truthfulness, and originality.” [Follow the recipe for the daily, affection-feeding grace of true beauty:]  When Mrs. Eddy talks about the “charms of (God’s) goodness,” this includes you [without illusions]. (S24) Enjoy the beauty of Soul that surrounds you and glows within you.

Section 6: Build on “the chief stones” of the Christian Science temple and you will demonstrate your freedom from material restrictions. (S28) The 23rd Psalm promises us that our loving Father-Mother God will provide for all of our needs, giving us a place to rest, leading us to find refreshment, and renewing us with fresh, spiritual inspirations. (B23, S26) The healing message of Christian Science given to mankind through the inspiration of this same Father-Mother Love rests and restores His children today. It lifts mankind above the earthbound pull of materiality and opens our eyes so that we can see the true sense of manhood, free from material inhibitions and shining brilliantly and consistently by the light of Soul. Each of the five “chief stones” points us away from matter and turns us in the direction of Soul: 1. “Life is God, good, and not evil.” 2. “Soul is sinless, not to be found in the body.” 3. “Spirit is not, and cannot be, materialized.” 4. “Life is not subject to death.” 5. “The spiritual real man has no birth, no material life, and no death.” (S28) Christian Science has revealed Soul as the animating power of man. Soul, God is the only power and it controls the body. (S30) [Follow the recipe for the daily, affection-feeding grace of immediate shepherding and effective healing:] The Truth of Christian Science has revealed the true relationship of Soul and body and this Truth is an immediate [Shepherd] and effective healer that you can depend on!

[The recent Midwest Spiritual Activist Summit was a huge success with over 350 attendees being shepherded and well-fed in all ways. About $2,500 more is needed for the Midwest Summit to end “in the black”– as all other Summits sponsored by The Mother Church have. Thank you in advance for sending checks made out to: Lafayette Square Christian Science Society, c/o Sue Loomis, Treas., 1819 Park Ave, St. Louis, MO 63104]

This weekly Metaphysical Newsletter is provided at no charge to the 1,200 campers and staff we hope to bless again this summer at CEDARS
–as well as to CEDARS alumni, families and friends who request it, or find it on our website. However, current and planned gifts are needed to help cover the costs of running this service and of providing camperships.

CLICK HERE RIGHT AWAY TO SUPPORT CEDARS WORK ONLINE!
Thanks to several small gifts and a couple of large ones from Board members, only $2,000 in campership contributions is still needed to guarantee that any Christian Science Sunday School student who wants to come to CedarS this summer can do so. Please encourage all the C.S. Sunday School students you know to attend a camp for Christian Scientists! To also help cover transportation costs to get these dear ones to camp, your donations of earned airline tickets, or frequent flyer miles, would be VERY helpful.
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Camp Director’s Note: This sharing is the latest in an ongoing, 8-year series of CedarS Bible Lesson “mets” (metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians. (To keep the flow of the practitioner’s ideas intact and to allow for more selective printing the “Possible Sunday School Topics” come in a subsequent email.) This weekly offering is intended to encourage further study and application of ideas in the lesson and to invigorate Sunday School participation by students and by the budding teachers on our staff. Originally sent JUST to my Sunday School students and to campers, staff and CedarS families who wanted to continue at home and in their home Sunday Schools the same type of focused Lesson study, application and inspiration they had felt at camp, CedarS lesson “mets” are in no way meant to be definitive or conclusive or in any way a substitute for daily study of the lesson. The thoughts presented are the inspiration of the moment and are offered to give a bit more dimension, background and new angles on daily applicability to some of the ideas and passages being studied. The weekly Bible Lessons are copyrighted by the Christian Science Publishing Society and are printed in the Christian Science Quarterly as available at Christian Science Reading Rooms or online at eBibleLesson.com or myBibleLesson.com. The citations referenced (i.e. B1 and S28) from this week’s Bible Lesson in the “met” (metaphysical application ideas) are taken from the Bible (B1-24) and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. (S1-30) The Bible and Science and Health are the ordained pastor of the Churches of Christ, Scientist. The Bible Lesson is the sermon read in Christian Science church services throughout the world. The Lesson-Sermon speaks individually through the Christ to everyone, providing unique insights and tailor-made applications for each one. We are glad you requested this metaphysical sharing and hope that you find some of the ideas helpful in your daily spiritual journey, in your deeper digging in the books and in closer bonding with your Comforter and Pastor.
Enjoy!
Warren Huff, Camp Director, director@cedarscamps.org (636) 394-6162

COMING SOON! — Possible Sunday School Topics (P.S.S.T.)
 

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