Ready?

`DIVINITY is always ready." This was written by Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Wouldn't it be great to be ``always ready?" For example, to be completely prepared for a test. Equal to the job at hand. Willing to move. Or, equipped and prepared to care for another child.

Viewing ourselves as limited mortals living in a changing and perplexing world leads us to believe we just can't be totally ready for anything. However, the Bible tells us that we are the children of God and in Genesis we read that we were created ``in the image of God." So, if God is always ready, we must be ready, for an image reflects exactly its source. Gaining a better understanding of God and why He is ``always ready," we begin to recognize our own capabilities.

In order for divinity to be ``always ready, God must be infinite. God is Love that never stops loving, Mind that always knows, Truth that never changes, Spirit that has no limitations, and Life that never ends. A verse from Psalms points out the infinitude of God, Mind: ``Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite."

David, who wrote many psalms, faced quite a few occasions that could have made him feel he wasn't ready for what he had to do. For example, when the Philistines were fighting against Israel, a member of the Philistine army, Goliath, defied Israel to send one man to fight him to the death. No one in the army of Israel volunteered to fight Goliath! Goliath was shockingly large, and terrifying. And if Goliath won, the Bible tells us in First Samuel, Israel would have to serve the Philistines.

David willingly offered to fight, understanding that the power of God would save him. Even though King Saul pointed out that David was very inexperienced and young, David was not dismayed. At this point Saul gave David armor and a sword. David declined them, however, knowing he was best prepared with what he had proved effective before--a sling and his trust in God. David ``smote the Philistine in his forehead. Goliath fell, and Israel remained free.

Human will, time, years of training, and money are not fully reliable to determine readiness; they are limited and changeable. But the allness of God, Spirit, is completely reliable. It seems as though we live in a chaotic, material world. Quieting the material senses, however, allows recognition of the spiritual facts of being. God, good, is All. The perfection of our true, spiritual selfhood as God's image doesn't have anything to do with how many years of training we've received. It is established by God, who made man to express tenderness, strength, intelligence, integrity. Training, considering decisions, or studying for a test are not so much the cause of our readiness as the means of expressing our spiritual dominion. Our ability to be ready for whatever we need to do comes from our identity as the expression of infinite Mind.

A few years ago, my husband and I were licensed to become foster parents. Soon after this, we lost our entire crop of cherries to weather damage. (We are cherry farmers.) Financially, it looked as though we were not ready to care for a foster child, particularly when we weren't feeling encouraged.

For about two weeks after the crop loss, I was troubled. Persistent, sincere prayer broke through the mental fog, though; and I realized that while I could never understand loss, I could understand God as inexhaustible Love. As Christ Jesus taught and demonstrated, divine Love could not be destroyed, become inadequate, or stop fostering happiness. And our ability to express impartial and nurturing love comes from God, not from any material condition. This truth enabled us to agree to foster a child even though the social worker asked if we would like to wait another year. We knew we were spiritually ready.

A little boy did come, and during his stay, we relied on God, knowing that no one can be out of the range of all-embracing Love. As I strove to express patience, humility, appreciation, impartiality, and encouragement, I came to see more and more that the infinite Father-Mother God is actively guiding, supporting, and cherishing His children. The false supposition that man could ever be separated from his infinite supply of love and goodness was disintegrated.

As it turned out, my husband was offered a part-time job that met our needs, and the next year's crop was successful. And the little boy's progress was wonderful! He stayed with us for about a year and was a fantastic cherry taste-tester!

To fulfill a requirement or perform a task, we can turn to God as the true source of ability. His readiness to love, heal, and bless is reflected by us, His spiritual children. Infinite, omnipresent God renders any foe of good powerless, therefore we can always be ready to serve God without fear.

BIBLE VERSE Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching.... And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.... Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Luke 12:37, 38, 40