First Church of Christ, Scientist, La Cañada Flintridge, California
Wednesday Meeting Readings
- Prov. 28:5 they
they that seek the Lord understand all things.
- Job 1:1, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 (to 1st .)
1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
6¶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
... 8And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
... 11But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
12And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand.
- Job 2:7-10
7¶ So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
9¶ Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
10But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
- Job 3:2, 25 the
2And Job spake, and said,
... the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
- Job 5:8
8I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
- Job 38:1, 36
1Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
... 36Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?
- Job 40:3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 14
3¶ Then Job answered the Lord, and said,
4Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
6¶ Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
7Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
... 10Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
... 14Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
- Job 42:1, 2, 5, 12 (to :)
1Then Job answered the Lord, and said,
2I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
... 5I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
12So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:
- Ps. 27:8
8When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
- Ps. 63:1-7
1O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
2To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
3Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
4Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
5My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
6When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
7Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
- Isa. 55:6-12
6¶ Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8¶ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
- Jer. 29:11-14 I (to :)
I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14And I will be found of you, saith the Lord:
- Luke 12:31 seek, 32
seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
- Heb. 11:6 he
he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures
by Mary Baker Eddy
- SH x:22-23
- SH 254:10-12
- SH 109:11-24
For three years after my discovery, I sought the solu-12tion of this problem of Mind-healing, searched the Scrip-Solitary researchtures and read little else, kept aloof from so-ciety, and devoted time and energies to dis-15covering a positive rule. The search was sweet, calm, and buoyant with hope, not selfish nor depressing. I knew the Principle of all harmonious Mind-action to be God, 18and that cures were produced in primitive Christian healing by holy, uplifting faith; but I must know the Science of this healing, and I won my way to absolute 21conclusions through divine revelation, reason, and dem-onstration. The revelation of Truth in the understand-ing came to me gradually and apparently through divine 24power.
- SH 285:32
It is essential to understand, instead of believe, what 286 286:1relates most nearly to the happiness of being. To seek Truth through belief in a human doctrine is not to un-3derstand the infinite. We must not seek the immutable and immortal through the finite, mutable, and mortal, and so depend upon belief instead of demonstration, for 6this is fatal to a knowledge of Science. The understand-ing of Truth gives full faith in Truth, and spiritual un-derstanding is better than all burnt offerings.
- SH 322:26-24
The sharp experiences of belief in the supposititious life 27of matter, as well as our disappointments and ceaseless Uses of sufferingwoes, turn us like tired children to the arms of divine Love. Then we begin to learn Life 30 in divine Science. Without this process of weaning, “Canst thou by searching find out God?” It is easier to desire Truth than to rid one’s self of error. Mortals 323 323:1may seek the understanding of Christian Science, but they will not be able to glean from Christian Science the facts 3of being without striving for them. This strife consists in the endeavor to forsake error of every kind and to pos-sess no other consciousness but good.
6 Through the wholesome chastisements of Love, we are helped onward in the march towards righteousness, A bright outlookpeace, and purity, which are the landmarks 9of Science. Beholding the infinite tasks of truth, we pause, — wait on God. Then we push onward, until boundless thought walks enraptured, and concep-12tion unconfined is winged to reach the divine glory.
In order to apprehend more, we must put into prac-tice what we already know. We must recollect that 15Need and supplyTruth is demonstrable when understood, and that good is not understood until demonstrated. If “faithful over a few things,” we shall be made rulers 18over many; but the one unused talent decays and is lost. When the sick or the sinning awake to realize their need of what they have not, they will be receptive of divine 21Science, which gravitates towards Soul and away from material sense, removes thought from the body, and ele-vates even mortal mind to the contemplation of some-24thing better than disease or sin.
- SH 451:8
Students of Christian Science, who start with its letter 9and think to succeed without the spirit, will either make Treasure in heavenshipwreck of their faith or be turned sadly awry. They must not only seek, but strive, 12to enter the narrow path of Life, for “wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.” Man walks in the 15direction towards which he looks, and where his treasure is, there will his heart be also. If our hopes and affec-tions are spiritual, they come from above, not from be-18neath, and they bear as of old the fruits of the Spirit.
- SH 323:28-32
- SH 324:2-4
- SH 60:29-31
- SH 510:2-4
- SH 476:21-22
- SH 463:32
It has been said to the author, “The world is bene-464464:1fited by you, but it feels your influence without seeing you. Why do you not make yourself more widely 3Seclusion of the authorknown?” Could her friends know how little time the author has had, in which to make herself outwardly known except through her laborious 6publications, — and how much time and toil are still re-quired to establish the stately operations of Christian Science, — they would understand why she is so secluded. 9Others could not take her place, even if willing so to do. She therefore remains unseen at her post, seeking no self-aggrandizement but praying, watching, and working for 12the redemption of mankind.
- SH xii:23-27
Hymn 237: “O may we be still and seek Him”
Hymn 572: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God”
Hymn 536: “No mortal sense can still ... silent prayer”