Wednesday Readings for January 4th, 2023

From The Bible

.... Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; ... for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
(I Samuel 16:7 Look (to 1st ;), 7 for)

¶ And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: ...

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. ...

And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. ¶ And Isaac departed thence, ...

And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: ...

And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: ...

And they digged another well, and strove for that also: ...

And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. ...

And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well. ¶ Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army. And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD. And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
(Genesis 26:6, 12–14, 16, 17 (to 1st ,), 18 (to :), 19, 20 (to :), 21 (to :), 22, 24–31)

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. ...

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. ...

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. ...

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: ...

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
(Psalms 37:3, 5, 7, 10 (to :), 11)

Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. ...

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
(Romans 14:13, 19)

¶ And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. ...

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, ...

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. ...

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. ...

... ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
(Matthew 4:23; 5:1, 2, 5, 9, 43–48 (to .))

¶ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
(Matthew 13:31, 32)

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. ...

... ¶ And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
(Luke 22:14, 24–27)

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
(Ephesians 4:1–6)

Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
(II Corinthians 10:7)

SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES by MARY BAKER EDDY

When the divine precepts are understood, they unfold the foundation of fellowship, in which one mind is not at war with another, but all have one Spirit, God, one intelligent source, in accordance with the Scriptural command: “Let this Mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Man and his Maker are correlated in divine Science, and real consciousness is cognizant only of the things of God.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 276:4)

The relations of God and man, divine Principle and idea, are indestructible in Science; and Science knows no lapse from nor return to harmony, but holds the divine order or spiritual law, in which God and all that He creates are perfect and eternal, to have remained unchanged in its eternal history.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 470:32–5)

With one Father, even God, the whole family of man would be brethren; and with one Mind and that God, or good, the brotherhood of man would consist of Love and Truth, and have unity of Principle and spiritual power which constitute divine Science.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 469:30–5)

It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love. Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brotherhood of man will be established. Having no other gods, turning to no other but the one perfect Mind to guide him, man is the likeness of God, pure and eternal, having that Mind which was also in Christ.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 467:9)

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus xx. 3.) The First Commandment is my favorite text. It demonstrates Christian Science. It inculcates the tri-unity of God, Spirit, Mind; it signifies that man shall have no other spirit or mind but God, eternal good, and that all men shall have one Mind. The divine Principle of the First Commandment bases the Science of being, by which man demonstrates health, holiness, and life eternal. One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, “Love thy neighbor as thyself;” annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, — whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 340:15)

To-day the healing power of Truth is widely demonstrated as an immanent, eternal Science, instead of a phenomenal exhibition. Its appearing is the coming anew of the gospel of “on earth peace, good-will toward men.” This coming, as was promised by the Master, is for its establishment as a permanent dispensation among men; but the mission of Christian Science now, as in the time of its earlier demonstration, is not primarily one of physical healing. Now, as then, signs and wonders are wrought in the metaphysical healing of physical disease; but these signs are only to demonstrate its divine origin, — to attest the reality of the higher mission of the Christ-power to take away the sins of the world.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 150:4)

Healing the sick and reforming the sinner are one and the same thing in Christian Science. Both cures require the same method and are inseparable in Truth. Hatred, envy, dishonesty, fear, and so forth, make a man sick, and neither material medicine nor Mind can help him permanently, even in body, unless it makes him better mentally, and so delivers him from his destroyers. The basic error is mortal mind.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 404:26–1 (to 2nd .))

HEALTH AND PEACE ATTAINED

For fifteen years I was a great sufferer physically and mentally. Eminent physicians treated me for hereditary consumption, torpid liver, and many other diseases. I sought relief at famous springs, the ozone of Florida, and the pure air of Colorado, but in vain. My life was one ceaseless torture.

During all this time, however, I was an earnest seeker after Truth. ... I retained faith in a supreme intelligent Being who made all. Sick, weary, doubting, and despairing, I accidentally went into a Christian Science church in New York City, on a Wednesday evening, not knowing what kind of a place it was. ... Being informed it was their regular Wednesday evening service, I inquired as to the denomination. I concluded that it was another new fad, but after investigation I procured a copy of Science and Health, promising I would read it carefully. I began reading the book on Tuesday and finished on Friday of the same week. I was still in the dark. I laid the book down, involuntarily closed my eyes, and silently prayed to God.

... Many things were made plain to me. I saw that there is one Fatherhood of God and one brotherhood of man; that though “once I was blind, now I see;” that there was no more pain, nor aches, no fear, nor indigestion. I slept that night like a babe and awoke next morning refreshed. There are now no traces whatever of my former complaint and I feel like a new being. — L. P., New York, N. Y.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 621:8–16, 19–23 I, 26; 622:12)

To develop the full might of this Science, the discords of corporeal sense must yield to the harmony of spiritual sense, even as the science of music corrects false tones and gives sweet concord to sound.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. viii:4)

Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it.

Human affection is not poured forth vainly, even though it meet no return. Love enriches the nature, enlarging, purifying, and elevating it.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 57:18–24)

God gives the lesser idea of Himself for a link to the greater, and in return, the higher always protects the lower. The rich in spirit help the poor in one grand brotherhood, all having the same Principle, or Father; and blessed is that man who seeth his brother's need and supplieth it, seeking his own in another's good.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 518:13–19)

Detach sense from the body, or matter, which is only a form of human belief, and you may learn the meaning of God, or good, and the nature of the immutable and immortal. Breaking away from the mutations of time and sense, you will neither lose the solid objects and ends of life nor your own identity. Fixing your gaze on the realities supernal, you will rise to the spiritual consciousness of being, even as the bird which has burst from the egg and preens its wings for a skyward flight.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 261:21)

Christian Science Hymnals

Brood o'er us with Thy shelt'ring wing, / 'Neath which our spirits blend / Like brother birds, that soar and sing, / And on the same branch bend. / The arrow that doth wound the dove / Darts not from those who watch and love.

If thou the bending reed wouldst break / By thought or word unkind, / Pray that his spirit you partake, / Who loved and healed mankind: / Seek holy thoughts and heavenly strain, / That make men one in love remain.

Learn, too, that wisdom's rod is given / For faith to kiss, and know; / That greetings glorious from high heaven, / Whence joys supernal flow, / Come from that Love, divinely near, / Which chastens pride and earth-born fear,

Through God, who gave that word of might / Which swelled creation's lay: / “Let there be light, and there was light.” / What chased the clouds away? / 'Twas Love whose finger traced aloud / A bow of promise on the cloud.

Thou to whose power our hope we give, / Free us from human strife. / Fed by Thy love divine we live, / For Love alone is Life; / And life most sweet, as heart to heart / Speaks kindly when we meet and part.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 454)

O peace of the world, O hope in each breast, / O Bethlehem star that ages have blest, / A day of fresh promise breaks over the land, / Gaunt warfare is doomed, and God's kingdom at hand!

From cannon and sword shape tillers of soil, / No more let dire hate man's spirit despoil, / Let Truth be proclaimed, let God's love be retold, / That men of good will may their brethren uphold.

As stars in their courses never contend, / As blossoms their hues in harmony blend, / As bird voices mingle in joyful refrain, / So God's loving children in concord remain.

Our God is one Mind, the Mind we adore; / Ineffable joy His love doth outpour; / Let nations be one in a union of love, / God's bountiful peace, all earth's treasures above.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 236)

REFRAIN / Like a river that runs to the ocean, / Like a ray reaching out from the sun, / Like a branch and the tree, a drop and the sea, / I and my Father are one.

And may each of us claim it as truly / As Jesus, who came as God's son, / And may each of us know in the depths of our soul, / I and my Father are one.

One in beauty, one in truth, / One in the asking, one in the proof, / One in time and one in space, / One in the goodness that flows from God's grace. / / REFRAIN / Though our fears may estrange and divide us, / May we seek to dissolve them through love. / We are sister and brother, each bound to the other, / One with our Father above.

One in purpose, one in power, / One in the Spirit, blessing each hour, / One in kindness, one in peace, / One in the Mind that makes all trouble cease. / / REFRAIN
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 524)