Dominion and the promise of things to come

In March a Monitorm correspondent wrote of the progress India has made in agricultural production since the 1950s. In the Punjab, the country's primary farming district, for instance, rice production has increased 1,000 percent in just twelve years.

One of the most remarkable aspects of this achievement is the fact that these gains were accomplished despite periods of serious drought. A major one, in fact, still exists. "According to Dr. J. C. Bakhshi, director of extension education at Ludhiana Agricultural University in the Punjab," said the article, "a drought of the current magnitude would have shattered in India 15 to 20 years ago. Now, apparently, India can take droughts in its stride."

The country's gradually increasing dominion over its sometimes merciless weather patterns -- despite temporary setbacks -- is a testament to modern technology and hard work. From a deeper perspective, it also hints at the ability mankind has to gain dominion over other discordant conditions.

The Biblical accound of Joseph's stay in Egypt suggests this broader dominion. n1 Egypt, too, faced the prospect of a drought, though only Joseph knew it. HE perceived lean times ahead. After seven years of plenty would come seven years of famine.

n1 See Genesis 41.

As a result of Joseph's insight, Egypt was able to store enough food over the seven good years to bridge the seven years of lack. During that time, not only did the country not need to import food, it became an exporter, helping surrounding countries weather the famine. (Interestinly, India, too, has become an exporter of grain during the current drought.)

Joseph gave credit to God for the foresight that apparently averted mass starvation. And it was in his willilingness to give credit to deity that he uncovered a tremendous fact for mankind. God's power is what ultimately subjugates evil and forwards good. That which gave Joseph the perception to see what needed doing, the ability to supervise the massive storage efforts during the good years, the courage not to forget his predictions when things were going well, was God's saving power, the Christ, the idea always present in human thought, to show what tremendous riches the universe of divine Love holds.

Christ Jesus, of course, was the primary illustrator of Christ. But this God-idea has been apparent to spiritually-minded people like Joseph throughout history. And what does christ do? In simple terms, Mary Baker Eddy n2 gives the Christ's historic role: "Christ illustrates that the blending with God, his divine Principle, which gives man dominion over all the earth." n3

n2 Mrs. Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.

n3 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,m p. 316.

The Christ is constantly leading human thought and causing us to give up limitations; to let go our hold on the belief that physicality is ultimate substance, and to adopt God, divine Life, and our Principle of being. The phenomenon called matter can be proved subordinate to God's power. When one subdues materialism through spiritual understanding -- and through Christly living -- it is powerless to harm.

Mrs. Eddy gives this potent description of what the understanding of god can accomplish: "Entirely separate from the belief and dream of material living is the Live divine, revealing spiritual understanding and the consciousness of man's dominion over the whole earth. This understanding casts out error and heals the sick, and with it you can speak 'as one having authority.'" n14.

n4 ibid.,m p. 14

Tomorrow: Dominion now DAILY BIBLE VERSE I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. Daniel 4:2,3