"I am with you always" - The Christ's Roadside Assistance Plan

The rhythmic hum of the engine fell silent! We had already driven ten hours that day and had a couple more to go before we would reach our destination for the night, when suddenly the van engine quit. We coasted to the shoulder of the North Dakota highway we were traveling on. We were out of gas! Within minutes a state trooper pulled up and asked if he could help. He drove me to a gas station, waited while I purchased a can of gasoline, and then returned me to my vehicle. We were on our way again with minimal delay and an appreciation for the warm hospitality of the North Dakota State Patrol.

Wouldn't it be nice if such assistance was available anywhere at anytime for the road of life?

It is available! It's the Christ!

Jesus ended his earthly ministry with these words: "Lo, I am with you always". This didn't mean that the human man, Jesus, would always be around, everywhere in the world at once - that's not physically possible. Instead, Jesus was referring to the manifestation of God's presence and power, which he embodied and expressed. This divine idea, the Christ, is always present and manifests itself in practical ways to bring help and healing to every individual. In my case, the Christ brought a quick solution to our need for gasoline. No, Jesus wasn't driving the patrol car, but the divine influence, the Christ, was directing the trooper to be where he was when he was needed.

In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer and the discoverer of Christian Science, describes the Christ as "a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself, coming now as was promised aforetime, 'To preach deliverance to the captives [of sense], and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised'".

So why does the Christ seem to be absent sometimes? Why do some problems seem to go unresolved? The answer is the same as in Jesus's day. Thousands of people that he lived among failed to recognize the presence of the Christ. In some cases there was no room at the inn - no room in individual or community consciousness to let the Christ-idea in. Others were looking for a Messiah, but their preconceived ideas prevented them from recognizing and accepting the Christ as a carpenter's son. Then there were those that didn't want to change their comfortable or profitable ways or give up their positions of power. Still others were simply ignorant and didn't hear the news about Jesus or attributed his miracles to John the Baptist, Elias, Jeremias, or "one of the prophets".

I've learned, as I've tried to document in this blog, that when I am sincerely and humbly open to the Christ, God's presence and power, I experience this benevolent divine power in practical, effective ways. You also can experience Christ's roadside assistance in your life if you make the effort to learn about the Christ and are humble enough to listen for the Christ speaking to your consciousness.
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