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[Be awake to freedom, alive to good, alert to bad, & enthusiastic to let your light shine!]
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on

“Ancient and Modern Necromancy, alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism, Denounced”

for November 23-29, 2015

by Christie Hanzlik, C.S., Boulder, CO
web address: www.christiecs.com
ccern@mac.com 720-331-9356

One of my top-favorite camp songs is “I’m Awake, Alive Alert, Enthusiastic.” If you don’t know it already, you can learn it quickly by putting these lyrics to the tune of “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands." [You can hear Christie present it as part of a CedarS Practitioner Talk in 2014.)

I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic.

I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic.

I’m awake, alive, alert,

I’m alert, awake, alive

I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic.

Warning: This song is so catchy that if you sing it out loud, you’ll have it stuck in your head all day. But, according to this week’s Bible Lesson, this is a very good thing. This week, the Lesson is about staying awake and alert to dreamy-hazy thoughts by knowing we are alive (full of Life) and enthusiastic (full of Spirit).

“Ancient and Modern Necromancy, alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism, Denounced” is a long title for the simple idea that we can wake up and stay alert to anything that would lull us into believing that we are limited, less than loved, or less than worthy. We can be awake to our true freedom, alive to all that is good, alert to negative thoughts, and enthusiastic about letting our light shine.

The Golden Text (main idea) of the lesson says, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” Romans 13:12 The armor of light is our protection. As we wear the armor of light, of Life, no darkness can touch us because dark cannot attach to light. It just doesn’t work. The light is our sure defense, and we keep our light shining by being alive to good, awake to truth, alert to temptation, and enthusiastic about healing.

Check out how the Responsive Reading follows the pattern of our camp song…

Alive:
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Awake:
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

For they that sleep, sleep in the night; . . .

Alert:
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

Enthusiastic:
Rejoice evermore.

Pray without ceasing.

Quench not the Spirit.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

…now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Consider going through each section of the lesson, and noting when you see something that reminds you to be “alive” or “awake” or “alert” or “enthusiastic.” I’ll highlight a few examples that stand out for me, but I’m certain you can find more. I find it inspiring that this simple camp song is a strong armor of light that defeats the big-word nothings of necromancy, hypnotism, and mesmerism.

Section 1
In the first section, I see a lot of references to staying awake. We are reminded not to be “slothful” or to let our lives become cluttered with junk, to “arise out of our sleep,” and to expect that God is our rock that will keep us from falling victim from negative and limited thinking.

“Sleep and mesmerism,” Mary Baker Eddy writes, explain the mythical nature of material sense.” (S4) When I see the word “material,” I think to myself, “limited.” Material sense is limited sense; matter is limitation. In this way, we are all striving to be free of limitation. And it's nothing more than sleep and mesmerism that would lull us into a belief of limitation. So what do we do to defeat it? We affirm that we're alive, awake, alert, and enthusiastic!

Section 2
The second section mentions the “upright” (alert) man who doesn’t “slumber” or “sleep.” (awake) Of course, this doesn’t mean that we don’t get to have good and normal rest, or that we need to feel guilty about taking a nap. No. It means that we must stay awake from a dream-like and limited sense that we are bound by the body.

This section also reminds us to “feel the divine energy of Spirit, bringing us into newness of life” (alive! enthusiastic!)

Section 3
The story of Jonah in the third section offers a cautionary tale, reminding us to stay awake, and not to fall asleep to Divine Love’s influence. At first, Jonah didn’t trust God/Love, and didn’t listen or obey. But three days in the belly of the big fish sure helped him to wake up! I doubt any of us will ever find ourselves literally in the belly of a big fish, but I sure have had experiences in which I seem to spend way too much time wallowing in self-pity before I wake up to Divine Love’s influence. It feels great to get spit out of a big fish of a lie about ourselves.

Which of the citations from Science & Health in Section 3 do you think best describes the turnaround moment Jonah must have experienced while in the belly of the whale?

Section 4
Section 4 is a call to be alert. The section reminds us to not only be alert to what we’re thinking and doing, but also to what we’re talking about. It begins, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth.” Here is the same citation in the NLT Bible, “Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.“

Section 4 also includes Jesus' parable about the man going on a long trip, which is a cautionary tale, reminding us to stay alert and watch for Christ (our awareness of Love's presence).

Awhile ago, a famous violinist, Joshua Bell, who plays to sold-out shows in major symphony halls around the world, tested what would happen if he played his $2 million violin in a busy subway station in Washington, DC. His friends took video, and were amazed to see hundreds and hundreds of people walk by without even noticing the beautiful music. No one heard the amazing performance because they were so busy. But guess who did try to stop to listen? The littlest children. Why do you think that children noticed the music most? Here’s a link to a video about the experiment: (http://itsmebaby.me/joshua-bell-subway/)

Do you see the connection between this story about Joshua Bell and Jesus’ parable in Section 4? Jesus says, “The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. You, too, must keep watch! [we must be alert to Christ’s presence] For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!” (B12, NLT)

Are we alert enough to see Christ—the awareness of God/Love’s presence–in our lives? Are we too busy, like the people in the subway who didn’t notice Joshua Bell, or are we like the little children who wanted to listen, receptive and willing and alert to good? We can all become more alert to Christliness in the world, seeking it with all our hearts.

Which of the citations from Science & Health is the best reminder to you to stay alert and watch for Christ—the awareness of God’s presence—in your daily life?

Section 5
This section has yet another cautionary tale. In this one, Eutychus drifts to sleep during Paul’s sermon and falls to his “death.” But, of course, this is NOT a story about why a sleeper should be punished. We know this because Eutychus is healed as Paul recognizes that Life has not left him. (Alive!) It sure is comforting to know that regardless of how badly we seem to mess up—like Jonah or Eutychus—prayer is always available to remind us that we are naturally alive to good, awake to truth, alert to temptation and enthusiastic about divine Love.

The Science & Health citations help us understand how we too can be alert to feeling punished for mistakes, or punished for falling asleep. Instead, we can wake up and find our inherent perfection, free from punishment, and awake to healing. Healing is about recognizing Divine Life that is already present.

Section 6
When I read this lesson, I can almost feel the first sections building up, like a crescendo in a symphony, for the big finale in the last section—Enthusiastic! I sense the big brass instruments growing louder as we hear the call:

“Now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (B21)

“Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (B23)

“Christian Science brings to light Truth and its supremacy….” (S28)

“God is infinite, therefore ever present, and there is no other power nor presence.” (S31)

To some it may at first seem too silly to use a simple camp song to denounce necromancy, mesmerism and hypnotism, but it’s actually quite fitting. Why should we take a dream seriously? The joy and simplicity of Christ that is so well expressed with childlikeness is a powerful defense against the sleepiness that would seem to tempt us into bad patterns of thought. Christ-light is our armor, and we can all put on our armor of light, march forward, and sing our camp song…

I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic.

I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic.

I’m awake, alive, alert,

I’m alert, awake, alive

I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic


[PS Don't forget CedarS when you are doing your Christmas shopping!
Funding is needed and GREATLY APPRECIATED AT THIS TIME in three special areas:
1. “Adopt the Herd” Matching Opportunity! Generous donors, aware of the ongoing need to care for CedarS herd, will match donations for our horse program! ($50k goal for our new fiscal year started in October)

2. "Maintenance Musts" Matching Funds! This hugely helpful matching grant offer has been renewed by dear supporters to match up to $25,000 through year-end 2015! (With a new fiscal year started in October that gives us only untill 12-31-15.)

3. Over 100 needed items are featured on CedarS Giving Tree that could fit the budget of every grateful Met-recipient and camper. You can choose for yourself $1-and-up ways to give to support CedarS needs. Click here to see 2 young alumni telltheir reasons to give.

[You can also reach a member of the Founding family nearly anytime by
PHONE at 636-394-6162

or MAIL your tax-deductible support to our 501-C-3 organization
(Our not-for-profit, Federal Identification Number is #440-66-3883):

The CedarS Camps, Inc.
19772 Sugar Drive
Lebanon, MO 65536


[CedarS weekly Metaphysical Newsletter is provided at no charge to the 1,200 campers and staff blessed each summer at CedarS, as well as to CedarS alumni, families and friends who have requested it. However, current and planned gifts are a big help and are greatly appreciated in defraying the costs of running this service and of providing needed camperships, programs and operations support. Click http://www.cedarscamps.org/giving/ for more about how you can provide even monthly support online. THIS WOULD BE A HUGE ANSWER TO PRAYER! Or you can always call the Huffs at 636-394-6162 to get information or discuss privately how to transfer securities or other assets to help support and perpetuate CedarS work.]THANKS TO YOU PRECIOUS DONORS FOR YOUR ONGOING, GENEROUS and NEEDED SUPPORT OF CedarS IMPORTANT WORK!

[The Met application ideas above are provided primarily to help CedarS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and daily demonstrate the great value of studying and applying the Christian Science Bible lessons throughout the year, not just at camp! YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP for weekly emails from past CedarS staff of possible ways to share Bible Lesson applications with older, as well as younger, Sunday School classes by clicking the "Subscribe Now" button (lower left) at http://www.cedarscamps.org/metaphysical/ ]

[For additional "Director's Notes" on the history, development & 4 translations of CedarS weekly Bible Lesson "Mets" go to Notes in our online version of it.]

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