“What a wonderful law! I love it so much that I can hardly think about anything else.”
That’s not a common sentiment, of course. Yet that’s exactly the spirit conveyed by the author of Psalm 119, who enthused, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (verse 97).
The psalm, which is the longest chapter in the Bible, is a poem of praise and contemplation of this law – not a human law, but divine law. Infused with jubilation, heart, and assurance, it speaks to the peace, wisdom, and other blessings that come from faithfulness to God’s law – from letting God’s goodness and love animate our thoughts and actions, following the path that Christ Jesus pointed out.
We, too, can experience the joy and promise of divine law, which is loving – and lovable – because God is Love; it is just because God is Principle; it cannot be corrupted because God is Truth.
In fact, everyone is inextricably bound to and by this law, because it reflects the very Principle of existence. It is at the same time dynamic, unshakable, radical, and simple. Mary Baker Eddy, a student of the Bible and the discoverer of Christian Science, puts it this way: “God’s law is in three words, ‘I am All;’ and this perfect law is ever present to rebuke any claim of another law” (“No and Yes,” p. 30).
Whatever would seem to contradict the allness of God, good – anything that would suggest that we’re just mortals susceptible to problems, or that evil has a place – is a “claim of another law.” When faced with that kind of suggestion, we can open our hearts to the forever constant divine Principle, whose infinite nature negates the supposed legitimacy of any other power. God being All, the entire universe – all that’s good and true – reflects His nature. Infinite Spirit can’t be usurped. Divine harmony, integrity, and goodness are inviolable. God’s allness cements and maintains our real identity as God’s intelligent, whole, spiritual offspring.
We are all inherently capable of recognizing and seeing through the false, material laws that seem to govern us. These counterfeit laws would claim that we can be separated from God, from good; that health, integrity, joy, purpose, safety, fulfillment, can elude us; that the pull to sin can irrevocably enslave us; that the chips will fall where they may and the best we can do is cope.
“The immutable harmony of divine law” (No and Yes, p. 26) is a reliable standard for questioning the legitimacy of such claims, and a powerful basis for standing up to them and experiencing healing and progress. Prayer in which we affirm the supremacy of divine law isn’t burying our heads in the sand and laissez-faire-ing our way through difficulties. It’s remaining actively faithful, which helps us see more clearly that whatever doesn’t sync with God’s law – such as poor health, inharmony, or lack – doesn’t have the standing it may seem to.
The natural effect is that divine law becomes more real to us. We feel God’s loving care more fully. We discern – and obey – divine guidance more actively. We experience God’s ever-unfolding goodness and peace in fresh ways. We are nudged to more compassionate and principled ways of interacting with others. We realize that we can never truly be without the strength and inspiration we need to make progress in our lives.
The Christ, Truth, that animated Jesus is very much present today to awaken each of us to the potency and universality of God’s law. To the extent that we welcome this Christ message and honestly strive to live in a way that’s consistent with divine Principle and Love, we can’t help gaining improved health and character, fuller joy and peace.
At one point, Achilles pain arose in one of my legs. The situation seemed consistent with a problem that I’d heard typically takes some time to resolve, a discouraging thought to me as an active runner. To address this, that evening I gave myself Christian Science treatment, which included affirming God’s supremacy and identifying myself as the uncompromisable reflection of divine Spirit.
As I prayed, I felt so assured of the omnipotence of God’s law that my concern simply dissolved. The notion that I could be held captive by injury for any period just didn’t square with God’s nature or with my – everyone’s – nature as His child.
Right then, the pain stopped, and that was the end of it. It felt natural to resume running as usual the very next day and even to run in a local race that weekend, all of which I did with joy and freedom. In the 10-plus years since, the healing has remained permanent.
Each of us can write our own “Psalm 119” in our hearts and lives. We can treasure and rejoice in God’s law, let it guide the way we think and interact with the world around us, and sing its praises through our actions. It’s what we’re created to do – and it can only bless.
Adapted from an article published in the June 2024 issue of The Christian Science Journal.
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