May 11, 2014

I am here in this time and place: what am I doing about it?

God has led me here to this time and place. I have learned that there is no such thing as “resting on one's laurels”, as each day is new, starting over, again and again. My Eternal Wisdom has gently, but firmly, never let me stop, has never said to me “ok, now you can rest.” That day may come when my physical capacities reach a point where I can no longer cope, but as long as my mind is functional, I can keep sharing and letting what has been poured into me flow out into the world for others to see and maybe answer a question at a critical time, for someone I may never meet.

Now, God has on occasion led me to a resting point, but after a short while I am filled with restlessness, then at that point my Eternal Wisdom gives me new direction and new mentors to push me onward. How does this fit in your Life? Does your Eternal Wisdom prod you? Is there something that you avoided that may point to something new? I have always found that, even though I may originally refuse, eventually I am led to a point where I can no longer say 'no', and I find the result was still more joy, when I had expected something full of drudgery and pain, at least mental pain.

As an example, in 2011-12 I had become restless and began looking for a new direction, as I could no longer gain any meaningful feeling of accomplishment in my parish. After many months of this, I was led in early 2013 (by my wife) to read a book by Jan Phillips, “No Ordinary Times”, a Book of Hours for Prophetic times, and I found someone who I could relate with (other than my wife) for the first time in some time. A few months later I attended, with my wife, to a retreat led by Jan. This retreat last August provided a springboard to this blog, journaling, and now I am about to start a study group on Conversation With God series of teachings. I have met, briefly, Neale Donald Walsch, (the author of the nine books of CwG) conversed by email with him, led to use certain materials and guidance, found a close spiritual kindred soul in the pastor of the First Congregational Church in Binghamton where the class will be held. All in one year. Note the progress: for that is how God works. One small step at a time: just don't miss each step as it appears. Look: look again. If I had not read the book given to me by my wife, who was given the book at Christmas time by her spiritual mentor, then if we had not followed through with the retreat, (it was designed as a women's retreat, and I was the only male present) I would still be wallowing in self-pity and dismay. Today I feel energized and full of ideas and hopes.

And I can not tell you the Joy I am filled with at this time. I am in reasonably good health (as long as I take my daily pills), My wife is having much pain in her legs, which means that I have to do many things that she would normally do, but our deep love of 54 years (married 53 in June) remains undimmed and much deeper than ever. Indeed God is Good!

Where are you in your life journey? Where is God calling you today? Yes, today. Not next week or next month, but today. Even as you read these words. Where is God calling you? What are you doing about it? Every stage in life has different callings, but a calling never the less.

You are here as part of the oneness of humanity. Yes, there are seven billion others, but you are unique, never before and never again will there be someone exactly like you. God has given you unique characteristics that are meant not only for you but for the world. And yes, you CAN affect the world. It is true that you may only touch a few people, for that is all most of us can personally touch. But a shower of Love on another changes the other, lightens their soul, gives some joy in their life they would not have otherwise. This joins with other Love showers, and the person passes those on if they know it or not. This ripple effect eventually reaches the entire world, raising the level of the world towards God.

If we withhold that shower of Love we originally were urged to share, the world loses that level that may be required to prevent a major calamity. We have no idea of the extent of what our behavior effects the world. As the saying goes, the flutter of a butterfly on the plains of Kansas effects the weather in Africa, if we could trace events and their consequences.

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p style=”text-align: center;”>Our task: to be the Face of God

So God has given each of us a journey to fulfill. The primary task of the journey is to be God's Love in each moment of our lives. If we could just be the Face of God in each and every moment, what an impact that would make on our society. How are we to be the Face of God? Look at what God is: God is Love. So if we ask ourselves “What would Love do?” in each moment, then God is being made present. This is what Mother Theresa did. This is what Mahatma Gandhi did. This is what Nelson Mendela did.

Look at Mother Theresa: her heart was moved in Calcutta, India by the poor and neglected on the streets who were dying in the gutter. So she began caring for them, just the dying, so they could pass with a feeling someone loved them. Eventually she founded hospitals and so many other good works. But it started by being moved at the sight of the dying and the dead during Her walks about town. Something simple she was moved to help, and she ACTED on that impulse. She brought one dying man to the convent, demanded that they help to care for him, and that started everything.

That is the key. We are all given the impulse to do some loving act outside of our ordinary life. Do we act on that impulse? Or do we just ignore it. I have done both, and I regret the times I ignored the urging. Those times still haunt me, giving me impetus to act on the impulse that appears and feelings I have on occasion. Perhaps that was their purpose at the time.

I have other musings on God at my journal on God in Beliefnet.com, under Dave434.