“And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” Hebrews 12

“A burden of affliction is apt to make the Christian’s hands hang down, and his knees grow feeble, to dispirit him and discourage him; but against this he must strive, that he may better run his spiritual race and course. Faith and patience enable believers to follow peace and holiness, as a man follows his calling constantly, diligently, and with pleasure.” Matthew Henry

“…The meaning is, that they were to remove all obstacles out of the way, so that they need not stumble and fail. …But let it rather be healed – As in the case of lameness, pains should be taken to heal it rather than to suffer it to be increased by careless exposure to a new sprain or fracture, so it should be in our religious and moral character. Whatever is defective we should endeavor to restore to soundness, rather than to suffer the defect to be increased. Whatever is feeble in our faith or hope; whatever evil tendency there is in our hearts, we should endeavor to strengthen and amend, lest it should become worse, and we should entirely fall.” Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

We are very blessed to have the Bible, Mrs. Eddy’s writings, writings of early workers, and teachers at Plainfield that provide us with practical principles that will help us keep a right course so we are not turned aside from God’s way or if we deviate can be restored to the path. Mrs. Eddy has a lot to say about this in her writings which I did not appreciate until I worked on this post. It is worth exploring especially since like the children of Israel we are presented many obstacles in this Cause for Christ’s Christianity.

“May this volume (Science and Health) be to the reader a graphic guide-book, pointing the path, dating the unseen, and enabling him to walk the untrodden in the hitherto unexplored fields of Science.” Mary Baker Eddy Miscellaneous Writings p. xi