LESSON 164. Now are we one with Him Who is our Source.
Today’s lesson turns our focus to our true desire. There can be no question as to what our true desire is. Indeed, the lesson tells us both the call and the answer are beyond our conscious awareness. “A melody from far beyond the world increasingly is more and more distinct; an ancient call to which [Christ] gives an ancient answer. You will recognize them both, for they are but your answer to your Father’s Call to you. Christ answers for you, echoing your Self, using your voice to give His glad consent; accepting your deliverance for you.”
What the lesson asks us to do is to bring this choice within our awareness and deliberately allow ourselves to make the choice that has been made within the depth of our being. We do this now. We do this consciously. We do this joyously.
We are all aware of our true desire. But as we seek to make ourselves “comfortable,” we are persuaded to lose focus. Your desire and mine are the same. There is only one desire in all the universe. That desire is that all things be exactly as they are.
To chase the idols of the world, no matter in what form they appear, is not sinful, is not bad. It is merely distraction. “Distraction” is not a synonym for bad, lazy or unworthy. Distraction merely is what it is.
We are not being asked to change. We are being asked to place our motivation with our desire. We are being asked to guide ourselves unto our desire and to do so consciously.
To see with the vision of Christ is to look clearly upon that which you do and be happy with the choices you make. The alternative is to pull the covers over your head and ask to sleep awhile longer. There are no wrong choices. We are asked merely to claim our power rather than pretending that we have none.
Yesterday we compared the impermanence of problems with the eternal nature of the Self. Today, we will continue to focus on the Self by letting our desires remind us to turn our attention to life-presence.
Let us practice in this way. Whenever you notice that attention has gone to a desire, whether it seems to be a small, insignificant desire or a bigger, seemingly more important one, pause, and then turn attention inward to life-presence.
Notice it. Does it have a desire now or is it simply presently being? Rest with attention on awareness-life-presence, noticing it for a few moments. In this way, we “receive but what is given us from judgment made beyond the world.”
“Open the curtain in your practicing by merely letting go all things you think you want. … Is not Christ’s vision worthy to be sought above the world’s unsatisfying goals? Let not today slip by without the gifts it holds for you …; you can exchange all suffering for joy this very day. Practice in earnest, and the gift is yours.”
