Commentary on ACIM Lesson 365

© 2010 Rev. David Seacord

One.

Christ said "It is finished", but of course, it wasn't. Only one step was finished, but because that one step was taken, entire universes of possibilities came into being....

The same is true in our lives today. Because who we are IN TRUTH is infinite and boundless and vast beyond all conception, the shift from limitedness to the miraculous is actually very tiny.... it is like a nano phase-shift on the atomic molecular level. All our spiritual training is for is to aid us to become quiet enough inside our being to feel the subtleties required to perceive reality correctly. For at that level there is zero tolerance of the impossible egoic lie of being a separated identity. That is why the Course has told us 'purification is necessary first'. And why all the quick fixes can't work.... they can temporarily take us to and show us our holiness (wholeness), but they can't keep us there (as Neem Karoli Baba once told Richard Alpert/Ram Dass).

So where to from Now, and Here? Whatever the illusions of life may teach, the next step into freedom is always through the door of 'willing not-knowing'. For what is 'the spiritual journey' but infinitely repeated moments of coming to 'the trusting', followed by the action of stepping willingly 'into the unknown'.... even up to and through, as Jesus demonstrated, the gates of death.

However, no such free-willed action is possible without actually first tasting of the Love which created All that IS, including our own Self. For it is that Love tasted that convicts our being that IT IS TheSupreme Reality, and it is that Love assimilated that empowers our lives to radiate 'the brightness of the God-filled'. Whatever the form of our service calling, our purpose is to "be the truth we have received", that our brothers may be blessed. In this, we are the messengers of IT that IS. And all we need be is empty of our selfness to see exactly what is, in that moment, The Way.

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Two. Final comments.

Todays Commentary completes 'my assignment'. I didn't know when I started what I was doing, and many times during the year that was probably a bit visible too. Yet here we are, and while it is still 'now', it is an altered 'now' than the one which would have been if you and I had not shared this journey. Although I did the writing, I sense I did the smaller part. And I sense there is much that will yet come of the seeds I was given to give you. Certainly, there are more seasons coming. So let us, as Papaji often said: 'Wait and see'.

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To be complete as to 'the new year's plans', tomorrow (after considering --it seems like-- thousands of potential new names spread across the gamut of language) I will write (and you will receive) the first edition of Everyman's Journal... since about 2004. There are many reasons, even though I appreciated your insightful suggestions, for choosing to stay with the name, among which are:

(a) it is one of my historical names personally...i.e., for a period of time in my life in the 1980's, it was the name I commonly used (as my 'spiritual name'), and so it is like to me as if it were 'David's Journal', only using 'Everyman' instead....

(b) I didn't 'make up' the name... I was given it by a Taoist/Zen holy man in a way similar to being given a mantra. In this case, to use the name Everyman was intended to bring to me the spiritual awareness that (as the Course has made totally clear) all beings are 'brothers/sisters'. What I got to see also was that every human state of consciousness was within me too, at least potentially... that in me was the rapist, the murderer, and the saint and master too. That I was not better or worse than any other being.... I was the same. I have come to see that this equality is the foundation of all compassion, both for ourselves, and for others.... and it is in this spirit that I choose to again use the name.

(c) And finally, the name (Everyman's Journal 2011) while simple, is memorable enough to recall, yet it is not a label or a description. In other words, all the other names considered quickly became limitations, as they indicated what the subject tone or content was, and that creates expectations, assessments, and judgements....even before reading. (Take 'Spirit Song Journal', for instance (which was considered)... very nice, but also quite generative of 'new age', 'alternative' categorization. That is fine, but I would like to write for anyone willing to read, not just new agers... and I would like to write about many subjects too, which is why I am choosing to not have A Course in Miracles listed as either subject matter or be in the title.)

Anyway, just so you know... Yes, I will be continuing very much as before, referencing the Course lessons and text often, but I expect also to offer introductions to various other profound writings from the worlds wisdom traditions. And with a title like Everyman's Journal, I can be led anywhere, without creating a reaction because "Hey, I thought this was about ACIM" etc.

Yes, it's been anchored this past year by ACIM, and yet, to tell the truth, it has been much more too. Essentially, it's been the place where whatever I had available to offer, that's what got placed 'in the plate'.

The way I am seeing, ACIM, the Bible, Zen, Krishna-worship, Indigenous Wisdom, Goddess worship.... they all point to, and provide clues to, the great Mystery which Sources us. While some wisdom traditions may be more or less accessible than others to you/me (depending on our history and conditioning), value is available if we are open. Therefore, while discerning our own path, let us also be open.... and in remembrance of our unity.

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The other thing for me to say is that I would like to not promise daily deliveries (although that may usually or often happen). I have been experiencing that I feel more satisfaction from one commentary really well written than several sent that might have been better--- if there had not been a daily deadline. So that is what I plan to do--- let go of the every day thing as a promise/expection, but at the same time, keep them coming too. I'd like you to receive them as gifts, but not expect to set your clocks (or remember what number the lesson is today) by them. As the Course lesson today says, more lessons are not needed. Henceforth just listen to your VfG (Voice for God).... Ask, and you'll be answered, for we are so absolutely not alone.

Again, Thank you for sharing yourself with me. There is only one of us here.

Namaste,

David

PS... I do suggest that if you are called to do the Lessons again, tomorrow is a great day to start!

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Lesson 365

This holy instant would I give to You.
Be You in charge. For I would follow You,
Certain that Your direction gives me peace.

And if I need a word to help me, He will give it to me. If I need a thought, that will He also give. And if I need but stillness and a tranquil, open mind, these are the gifts I will receive of Him. He is in charge by my request. And He will hear and answer me, because He speaks for God my Father and His holy Son.

EPILOGUE

This course is a beginning, not an end. Your Friend goes with you. You are not alone. No one who calls on Him can call in vain. Whatever troubles you, be certain that He has the answer, and will gladly give it to you, if you simply turn to Him and ask it of Him. He will not withhold all answers that you need for anything that seems to trouble you. He knows the way to solve all problems, and resolve all doubts. His certainty is yours. You need but ask it of Him, and it will be given you.

You are as certain of arriving home as is the pathway of the sun laid down before it rises, after it has set, and in the half-lit hours in between. Indeed, your pathway is more certain still. For it can not be possible to change the course of those whom God has called to Him. Therefore obey your will, and follow Him Whom you accepted as your voice, to speak of what you really want and really need. His is the Voice for God and also yours. And thus He speaks of freedom and of truth.

No more specific lessons are assigned, for there is no more need of them. Henceforth, hear but the Voice for God and for your Self when you retire from the world, to seek reality instead. He will direct your efforts, telling you exactly what to do, how to direct your mind, and when to come to Him in silence, asking for His sure direction and His certain Word. His is the Word that God has given you. His is the Word you chose to be your own.

And now I place you in His hands, to be His faithful follower, with Him as Guide through every difficulty and all pain that you may think is real. Nor will He give you pleasures that will pass away, for He gives only the eternal and the good. Let Him prepare you further. He has earned your trust by speaking daily to you of your Father and your brother and your Self. He will continue. Now you walk with Him, as certain as is He of where you go; as sure as He of how you should proceed; as confident as He is of the goal, and of your safe arrival in the end.

The end is certain, and the means as well. To this we say "Amen." You will be told exactly what God wills for you each time there is a choice to make. And He will speak for God and for your Self, thus making sure that hell will claim you not, and that each choice you make brings Heaven nearer to your reach. And so we walk with Him from this time on, and turn to Him for guidance and for peace and sure direction. Joy attends our way. For we go homeward to an open door which God has held unclosed to welcome us.

We trust our ways to Him and say "Amen." In peace we will continue in His way, and trust all things to Him. In confidence we wait His answers, as we ask His Will in everything we do. He loves God's Son as we would love him. And He teaches us how to behold him through His eyes, and love him as He does. You do not walk alone. God's angels hover near and all about. His Love surrounds you, and of this be sure; that I will never leave you comfortless.

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My partnership request.... Please consider yourself an important gateway this message is passing through on it's way to others. Please do 'send it on'. Thank you.

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Rev. David Seacord

Fine Art Painter / Sufi Cherag

david@davidseacord.com

www.davidseacord.com

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Commentary on ACIM Lesson 364

© 2010 Rev. David Seacord

Sometimes we are just not ripe yet... but later we are. When that happens, we get to discover how much we have grown that we had not noticed....

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New beginnings time is here again, can you feel it? I do... my days of late are all about preparing, getting better organized, structuring my affairs to be more manageable... all with one purpose.... to manifest (make real) 'my part of the mission' (what I have in the past--- and still sometimes do--- think of as 'my ministry').

Many times this year the Course has voiced the view that we each are where we are 'by no accident'.... that the spirit has guided us to here, and that it will lead us on as long as we are needed here... all towards what it (the Course) calls 'The Atonement' (which I like to think of as 'The At-One-Ment'). Inside this way of holding life, there is often a sense of humor at the way the actors around us appear on our stage.... I am sure you have your stories too....

Remember that I mentioned that I just spent a day surfing the commercial landscape for after-Christmas sales? One the places I visited was Best Buy Electronics. That visit was all about researching the ways hi-tech advancements could help me get moving on my YouTube/singer-songwriter assignment and other related stuff. And since the sales staff was all occupied, I wandered the store aisles a bit, which led me to the digital notetaking recorders. From past experience using micro-cassette recorders, I knew I could use one to help catch my thoughts (somewhat significant for a writer) without having to stop and write 'in the moment'. Actually, I had purchased one in 2004, but I was believing it was 'nonfunctional', as back then my computer literacy quotient was much lower, and because of that, I found it difficult to use. I had tossed it with frustration into a box where stuff like that just accumulated and degraded....

Anyway, the doubled or tripled price of the new ones (compared to my emotional memory of the 2004 price) was enough of a 'stop' to have the thought arise---"Well, you don't absolutely KNOW that the old one couldn't be still used... you could dig it up and see... before spending money on a new one, etc...". So that's one of the things I did today.

I found it and it needed cleaning big time. It was sticky-oily and covered with oily lint/dust. Not good for something electronic you know. Hummm, can I even clean it? VfG (Voice for God) says 'Yep'... and gave me the idea of a very slightly moist sponge...the kind with the green scrubbing pad on the other side. Lo and Behold, it worked... after maybe 10/15 minutes of careful scrubbing and wiping. Then open it up and find another 'killer'.... the batteries had leakedbad. VfG had me scrape it all out with some needles. Ok, what will happen when I put in fresh batteries? Well, by golly, the display is working! Well, do you suppose God I can find the instructions/owners manual thing? After a bit of a search, the answer was NO... so then VfG had me remember my computer and to try finding the instructions online. Bingo! Should have tried that first, huh!

And now the point.... why I had tossed it into the degrade pile years ago was because I gave up on learning something new.... it just seemed at the time 'too much hassle'. So I opted out to go back to the older tape technology... except I lied to myself... I never did that either. (OK, It's a digression, but...the answer to "why?" is: Because the tape technology had it's frustrations too... like having to listen to a whole half hour tape to find one piece of information sometimes.... no way I would really do it, usually, even with the best of intentions.... so that con (on myself) just became another way for good thoughts to be tossed into the 'degrade/get lost' box. It's totally an ego-trick thing... this 'I can't, I don't want to, it's too much hassle' mind drivel. Because it is NOT TRUE. Werner gave me a great counter thought (worth memorizing): There is NEVER a circumstance where a 'conversation for NO possibility' is REQUIRED. That is saying it straight.) (End digression).

So I was now facing the past--- the I-can't-learn-to-use-this story. What to do but step right past it, which I did. And was I delightedly surprised? Yes, absolutely.... to discover that my current computer literacy could and did easily handle the challenge. It was a cakewalk.

I celebrated by taking a several mile hike, keeping it (the recorder) with me. I came back with over 20 new entries! I mean, the monkey-mind in me just jumped branch to branch on the most seemingly insignificant associations, but in so doing, bringing to surface consciousness deeper insights on some of my current focuses, but also throwing in several 'reminders' of things I was losing track of. So, even while taking a hike, I was 'on the job', creatively.

And somewhere along that trail, I realized (like an experience) that Iwas being 'geared-up' for a bigger game in this coming year. The evidence is all around me.... all the improvements in organization etc... they all point to increases in stewardship capacity being made ready for use....

For you, as well as for me, I pray having spent this year together in this way has brought similar gifts to you, and that as this year concludes, it will be like having the booster rocket drop away, as the true mission begins.

Namaste,

David

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Lesson 364

This holy instant would I give to You.
Be You in charge. For I would follow You,
Certain that Your direction gives me peace.

And if I need a word to help me, He will give it to me. If I need a thought, that will He also give. And if I need but stillness and a tranquil, open mind, these are the gifts I will receive of Him. He is in charge by my request. And He will hear and answer me, because He speaks for God my Father and His holy Son.

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 363

© 2010 Rev. David Seacord

One.

To start with, to those of you that have responded with your thoughts about renaming this Commentary, I thank you, as your input is being digested :-), and I am sure will get reflected...., and I am assuming that for those of you who did not respond, you have no preference or opinion, which is perfect also. So all is well, as always.

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Two.

My lesson's today were delivered to me while I was in the disguise of "an after-Christmas special's shopper". I devoted the entire day to it, and ended up exploring impulsively many establishments 'just for the heck of it, I'm already right here...'. It was almost like being out on the town with a date, except that the date kept changing, as they were all salespeople. That, however, is not and should not be a stop to authenticity. In fact, my experience is that it is a mutually wonderful moment when the role of the 'saleperson' suddenly or gradually drops away, and the real being shows up....

It is what all of us are really doing, wherever we are and whatever we are doing, when we are being fully present. It is, in summation, being an invitation to play the game of life on a new, 'higher' level, which is characterized, as the Course has said, by the spirit of win/win... where I hold an equally valid concern for the total success of a salesperson and their company as I do for 'getting a good deal'. I find people real appreciate it, in fact I think it is that space being present that makes the difference and allows all the roles to drop.

You know what makes it real though? It is that you do what you say you will. In other words, integrity. Everybody is so used to nobody having integrity (like being on time, or doing a good job because you said you would etc) that when it occurs in their life, it is very tangible. It is a powerful example. It is the example that Jesus delivered, for sure.

I get to practice my own advice too. 'Being my word' is a spiritual practice, and so, what it comes down to is: If you say you are gonna do it, you do it. Yesterday I asked for and was given permission from a large furniture store to collect some of their large cardboard boxes (which I make into protective coverings for my larger paintings). But I had some errands to do and so I didn't want to deal with the pile of boxes right then. So I said, "OK, I'll be back after I run some other errands". Soon after I'd said it, I wished I hadn't, because 'tomorrow' would have been 'better (meaning 'easier, more convenient'). There was no good reason to go all the way back there.... except that I had said I would. After a bit of back and forth internal dialogue, my integrity practice had me go back. Nothing magical happened out of doing that... there was no reward from God or anything.... in fact the place was closed up so nobody even saw that I came back. But I knew I had kept my integrity, and been my word....

What is that saying.... the measure of who you are is made visible by what you do when no one is looking... That is how it is with integrity. Do you know what the word actually means? It surprised me when I learned.... it means 'wholeness'.

Namaste,

David

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Lesson 363

This holy instant would I give to You.
Be You in charge. For I would follow You,
Certain that Your direction gives me peace.

And if I need a word to help me, He will give it to me. If I need a thought, that will He also give. And if I need but stillness and a tranquil, open mind, these are the gifts I will receive of Him. He is in charge by my request. And He will hear and answer me, because He speaks for God my Father and His holy Son.

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 362

© 2010 Rev. David Seacord

Just for clarity, No, I don't naively think this perfect world we live in is perfect in the sense that there are no problems to deal with or no injustices to correct or no sufferings to heal. The world we inhabit certainly does contain much that appears 'imperfect'. What we have the opportunity to see though, is all of the imperfections of this world provide perfect soul growth curriculum opportunities for each and every one assigned here, and with impeccable exactness.

I once wrote a song with the line in it: "For the wisdom of a being is the vision in the Man....". It's this sense of vision that calls us to our 'stand-tall' mission here.... and whatever that mission's form, it will still be that when we are doing it, we are being transmitters of Divine Non-judgemental Acceptance for all beings.... for that is what Love is.

What that means is that when we take a stand that appears to be in opposition to something, we are clear we are not against the beings who are standing for the thing we are opposing. In other words, while we may have differing views as to what is the better path (and that difference can be in the domain of religion, or politics, or relationship, or finance, or whatever...) who it is that we are differing with IS our brother still. If we forget that, we have erred.

It is like the one called Maharaji says: "It is not the world that needs peace. It is people. When the people of the world are at peace within, the world will be at peace."

Having this personal peace has been the goal of this course, and all of us have received it many times during this year. To keep it close to our being, our heart, and to remember it when it is challenged.... that is what all the training is for. And though the Course concludes, the training does not end. Nor will it, until all beings have found the way to the UnityWithoutEnd.

Namaste,

David

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Lesson 362

This holy instant would I give to You.
Be You in charge. For I would follow You,
Certain that Your direction gives me peace.

And if I need a word to help me, He will give it to me. If I need a thought, that will He also give. And if I need but stillness and a tranquil, open mind, these are the gifts I will receive of Him. He is in charge by my request. And He will hear and answer me, because He speaks for God my Father and His holy Son.

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 361

© 2010 Rev. David Seacord

One.

I feel blessed that I have done these writings this year 'to no one else's standards' but the blessing of my Godness within. That alone gives them validity to me, as the expression of a God-guided process. And as we near the close of this Course's journey, I look back and feel grateful for each one of you who have found value enough to be part of this spiritual exploratory circle with me. You have provided me the accountability that I many times needed to 'just do it'. That writing now lives as part of my daily life has altered the trajectory of my life, and it is clear that was 'meant to be'. And that I will continue writing is also clear.

I have given many thoughts to what happens after Commentary #365, and the clearest answer is Commentary #366. There is, after all, a whole Text to explore, and also, if I were to write on the lessons again, I have the thought that perhaps I could do 'better', at least for some.

The elements of personal diary journalism that have many times been included I am sure will also continue, for I know of no other way to be authentic than to share with you the truth about my life. And on that front, I get the sense that I may be given permission to share more broadly even, as long as I bring it back to our spiritual interest common denominator.

And for that reason, I have been considering a name change--- to something that is not exclusively indicative of the Course, yet which does not exclude the Course also, obviously. How does "Everyman's Journal 2011---- Commentaries On, and Beyond, A Course in Miracles" sound to you, for instance? Just a suggestion. Please let me know what you think.... there are yet a few days left to formulate a format for the new year. :-)

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Two.

Often my life is blessed by my curiosity. It is, after all, one of the most primal characteristics of being sentient. And it must be included therefore, in any contemplation of the comment by Jesus that: "Except you become as a little child, ye shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven." Usually that scripture puts focus on the innocence of children, but I think we would do well to look at all the other universal attributes of the childlike, including curiosity....

Anyway, I found myself being curious today, and followed it to it's logical conclusions. And my reward was the deep tangible satisfaction of new learning, purely for the sake of new learning.

It started a couple days ago when my clothes iron of many years stopped heating.... so I borrowed Mom's. But today, I found myself looking at my old iron and wondering if I could fix it.... I am, after all, a skilled fix-it man in many areas.... but I had no experience with irons. So I was back at baboon base one.... just looking at the iron and scratching my noggin and stroking my chin, looking for clues as to how to dismantle it without destroying it. My first clue was to realize the nameplate probably just snapped off. I tested and it did, revealing a couple of screwheads that I went to work on. But once they were off, the iron didn't just release and open sesame, like I had hoped. In fact, it was like those two screws didn't make any difference at all. Darn. (Should I give you a blow by blow, or just cut to the chase?) Ok, cut to the chase. I found this and that, pushed and pulled and pryed, reached the point where I realized the iron was destined for the trash-can anyway so when ahead and destroyed 'an obstacle' or two, and finally got the iron apart. There it was, all in pieces, some a little more mangled than others.

You know about 'second wind'? It's a runner's thing. It means your lungs move to a new higher level.... well, curiosity has a second level too.... don't know the name, but it has it. And I entered it, just looking at the pile of iron parts. How DID that darn iron work, anyway? I started to see if I could figure it out. To do that, I had to see if I could put it back together, or at least understand how the parts were supposed to fit.... and, like getting engrossed in a jigsaw puzzle, all the spacial relationships started coming into focus, and suddenly, the amazing beauty of the Total Design appeared.... Like the Idea of Electric, Heat-controlable Irons moved in reverse from a pile of parts to a cosmic conception of brilliance, a pure possibility. (Too much?) OK, anyway, I got high 'being curiosity' today.

Another way to say it is: I lost myself. Which, if you think about it, is real close to spiritual freedom.... the "less self, less ego" kind. And, another way to think about curiosity is as, well, just being interested... completely interested.... in something. Anything else, any something will do... just as long as it doesn't have a 'me, me, me, me or I, I, I, I' mantra or name to it :-). And that 'being interested' might-could be a good way to enter a 'being one with' something else, don't you think?

Namaste,

David

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Lesson 360

Peace be to me, the holy Son of God.
Peace to my brother, who is one with me.
Let all the world be blessed with peace through us.

Father, it is Your peace that I would give, receiving it of You. I am Your Son, forever just as You created me, for the Great Rays remain forever still and undisturbed within me. I would reach to them in silence and in certainty, for nowhere else can certainty be found. Peace be to me, and peace to all the world. In holiness were we created, and in holiness do we remain. Your Son is like to You in perfect sinlessness. And with this thought we gladly say "Amen."

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 360

© 2010 Rev. David Seacord

What creates our blindness? With the brightness of God's Love continually blessing our lives, how do we lose our way?

Buddha's answer was: 'Desire'. I would language my current realization similarly as: 'Wanting creates blindness'.... And today it was not so difficult to find examples....

For on this precious Christmas Day I overate-- to the point of feeling ill--- and it was clearly 'wanting' related. For several days prior to escorting my Mother to a popular local buffet serving a Holiday Dinner I had been envisioning my meal there. I even stopped in twice (in advance) to 'prepare my boundaries' (what I would not touch) and figure out how I would use the available food to create a Christmas dinner appropriate for me, while Mom enjoyed whatever she wished. I knew socially that if I was there, I would be expected to eat, and since good money was being spent, I also 'wanted' to 'get my moneys worth' (additional justification for eating. So I was doubly blinded.... first by my frugality, and second, from gluttony.

In my defense, it was a holiday gluttony. Meaning I suspended a lot of rules for the pleasure of making myself sick. The upshot of which is I remembered why I don't do gluttony. And that is my 'last ditch remembrance deal' with God.

It goes like this: God, I hurt, please help me. (And God helps me.) Then everything is fine for a period, and I'm happy. Then I get bored with being happy. Then I forget why I am doing all the things that I do (the things God helped me learn so my life would stop hurting). Once I have forgotten, I have reduced immunity to the world's temptations, and so eventually I touch the temptation, and it is soooooo pleasurable. Pretty soon it is 'all over' (my resistance) and I just indulge. For a while that is...., until indulging starts to catch up on me. And I start hurting again. After a while, the hurting gets big, and THEN I remember God. Then I say "God, I hurt, please help me". (And God helps me.)

It's called spiritual adolescence. We all go through it many many times in the spiral curriculum of our lives. Each time is an opportunity to gain additional masteries. Like the advance boundaries...? Yes, I was tempted, but they held (for the most part).... I walked past tons of food doing it's best to seduce me.... sugars, deserts, baked goods, pastas, pizza, stuff fried in oil, dairy, ice cream etc.... I KO'd all them completely. So that was at least something of a win, because 'advance boundaries' held.

Another little win was hearing and listening to the guidance to wait to write this for several hours, instead of writing it at the time I normally do (which was when I was being sick). It was a win because I knew that whatever I wrote then would certainly be influenced by being sick, and that I would have a much better perspective to share later... (and I hope that is true).

So mostly where I failed is that I did was not prepare to face 'food greed', meaning eating more than is needed to maintain a healthy body. I could say that was just being asleep, but I'm not going to lie.... it was intentional. I wanted to gorge. I wanted that pleasure. But once pleasure pigging, I found it hard to stop.

The lesson? Wanting/desiring sense pleasure blinded me to remembering that taken too far, pleasure always leads to pain. And so the pain arrived with the message.... stop.... remember. Remember what? Remember the peace of the middle way (the Buddha would say).... all things (physical) in moderation.

Namaste,

David

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Lesson 360

Peace be to me, the holy Son of God.
Peace to my brother, who is one with me.
Let all the world be blessed with peace through us.

Father, it is Your peace that I would give, receiving it of You. I am Your Son, forever just as You created me, for the Great Rays remain forever still and undisturbed within me. I would reach to them in silence and in certainty, for nowhere else can certainty be found. Peace be to me, and peace to all the world. In holiness were we created, and in holiness do we remain. Your Son is like to You in perfect sinlessness. And with this thought we gladly say "Amen."

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 359

© 2010 Rev. David Seacord

Tonight, at the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at the Yuma new thought church I usually go to, the minister lady was brief but eloquent. And what stuck with me was her comment: "Jesus did not come to be the exception. Jesus came to be the example...."

I appreciated the clarity, and how she continued speaking on the 'greater things than these shall you do' theme. Because that is what calls me and those others that I feel 'bonded-in-soulness-to' standing beside me on this journey. I mean, the word 'christian' means literally 'little christ', which is what we are being.... christs-in- training. Which of course means we error at times.

The teaching of ACIM regarding error is: mistakes only call for correction. Nothing else. Especially not a bunch of judgements. In other words, mistakes are not an I'm right -- you're wrong issue. Mistakes are just untrue negative thought patterns--- things that we believe to be true, but which the truth of the universe knows to be false. And the problem is that since we believe things to be true that aren't, we get into trouble--- because we normally act on what we believe. But when we believe falsities, acting on them produces bite-you-back-ouchies/ouwee's. That's why being a teacher of God is a humbling path.... because you are there to be a living example of correcting your own mistakes. That is absolutely what Jesus did... he cleaned up all the karma by being without judgement about those around him, yet at the same time he was so straight that he never hesitated to call a spade a spade. People got then (and they still do now) a lot of value out of that. So it is an example for us too.

The time for each of us is coming, will come soon, for the stand-tall mission we each have been assigned to and which we have accepted. And I know you have accepted because you are here.... so your job is just like my job (because there really is only one 'job description' on God's payroll--- we get to say it straight, and then not take what happens personally. That's the high road. If we slip up and we do take it personally, it's just another lesson is learning how to be impeccable about cleaning stuff up.

As anything that is between two brothers is in the way of knowing our own wholeness, and will stay in the way until cleaned up, there is no better time than now to step up to humbleness, and forgive it all. And in the long run (which IS the view God has) NOTHING ever turns out to be a mistake. That is why todays lesson clearly says: Sin is impossible.

Namaste,

David

PS... Merry Christmas everyone!

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Lesson 359

God's answer is some form of peace. All pain
Is healed; all misery replaced with joy.
All prison doors are opened. And all sin
Is understood as merely a mistake.

Father, today we will forgive Your world, and let creation be Your Own. We have misunderstood all things. But we have not made sinners of the holy Sons of God. What You created sinless so abides forever and forever. Such are we. And we rejoice to learn that we have made mistakes which have no real effects on us. Sin is impossible, and on this fact forgiveness rests upon a certain base more solid than the shadow world we see. Help us forgive, for we would be redeemed. Help us forgive, for we would be at peace.