Spiritual Perspectives
Taking a Cue from Jesus

By Sandy Webb
Special to The Independent

The news of the tsunami tragedy has brought me to the knees of prayer with renewed fervor, especially regarding such questions as "Where is God amid such devastation? Why did this happen?"

I'm taking my cue from Jesus. One day he met a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him who had sinned: the man or his parents, to cause him to be born blind?

In The Message, a contemporary Bible translation by Eugene Peterson, the Book of John tells us that Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines."

Jesus didn't shake his head in pity or wring his hands in helplessness. He went right to work, asking what can God do, and then healed the man of the blindness that had enslaved him his whole life.

The right question is, "What can God do? What is divine Love doing right now?" And then be "energetically at work" to bring healing to the Asian tragedy by sending a flood of prayer affirming what God can do. Here are some of the ways I've prayed.

Father, I know you never stop loving any of your children. We're always in your care, wrapped in Your arms. The lives of all of us continue with You, whether we're on the earth or in some other realm, because You are Life itself. The aid workers have all the compassion of your Love, all the energy of your Spirit, all the courage of your Truth. The families left behind have the loneliness filled with the Your presence. The orphans are feeling Your Fathering protection and Mothering comfort. Aid organizations are guided by the wisdom of your all-knowing Mind. Your law governs all humanity, so people are led to help, not take advantage. No task is too great; no number is too many. You are infinite; you give us all we need for the work we have to do.

In a spiritual guidebook I study, "Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy writes, "The Christian Science God is universal, eternal, divine Love, which changeth not and causeth no evil, disease, nor death."

Prayer based on this concept becomes a spiritual force that sweeps away chaos, fear, corruption, hopelessness. It's not asking God to do His work, but helping us to understand and see how He already is loving and leading us. We'll see the effects of our prayer step by step, experience by experience, and eventually we'll discover the power of prayer to heal a world.

There is an ongoing discussion about how others are praying to support the tsunami relief efforts at www.spirituality.com.

Sandy Webb is part of the Christian Science Group, a 24/7 church without walls. Services are at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays at NCI. For more information, call 722-0357 or 722-8907.

This column is the result of a desire by community members, representing different faith communities, wishing to share their ideas about bringing a spiritual perspective into our daily lives and community issues.

For information about contributing a guest column, contact Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola at the Independent: (505) 863-8611, ext. 218 or lizreligion01@yahoo.com.