2002-08-18-Worship
Nashville #156
Contents
1Heading
1Topic: Worship
2Group: Nashville TeaM
2Facilitators
1Teacher: Ham
2TR: Rebecca
3Session
1Opening
2Lesson
3Dialogue
4Closing
Heading
Topic: Worship
Group: Nashville TeaM
Facilitators
Teacher: Ham
TR: Rebecca
Session
Opening
Ham: Greetings, children, I am Ham and I welcome you back this evening. This evening, let us discuss the benefits of some rest time. Many human beings feel they are too busy for restful worshipful contemplation. It is difficult to stop the train, the locomotive of your mind and simply rest, relax, and worship the Father.
Lesson
Worship is divine rest. It is that freeing of the mind to allow it to soar to spiritual heights. Most people harness the mind to plow the fields of everyday productivity. But, now and then, it is good to forget the daily travail, to release the mind and let it soar.
The human mind consists of three parts: that which is responsive to the signals of the body, the awareness of the senses, and this mind is directly connected to the next level of mind which is morontial or a blending of the material senses and the higher level of meaning. It is the mind which makes sense of all the information coming in, it is the mind which assigns meaning to perception. Above this mind is still another level of mind which is spiritual or quasi-spiritual. It is that level which perceives God at all times. When the senses perceive beauty, all three of those levels are functioning. When you perceive goodness, all three levels are functioning. When you respond to truth, in other words when facts that are perceived by the senses are organized with value and then enhanced with truth, all three levels are functioning.
The main job of human living is to not only open those mindal gates, but it is more. It is to live your life in direct response to that highest spiritual level which enhances all meaning and gives purpose and direction to all values.
You are perceiving God in his manifestation when you look at a flower and place upon it the highest value because you perceive its beauty, you perceive the goodness of the hand which created this beauty, and you perceive the truth of the Father’s love in all things. The Father is not an idle bystander in his creation. He is an active participant in every blade of grass. The Master said, “Not a sparrow falls from the sky but that my Father perceives it”.[1]
The Father is active also in your minds. Always is he endeavoring to draw the mind toward spiritual value, toward higher planes of thinking. On these higher planes, there is meaning in the everyday which transcends the common place and there is value in the lowliest creature, the smallest drop of life.
Your friendships with each other are a dynamic full of meaning and value. When you perceive other people as the Father does, you perceive them with loving kindness and open forgiveness.
Does the Father feel injured or slighted by your unthinking actions? I doubt it. The Father knows his children and loves them as they are.
When you begin to perceive the great value of life, you can begin to glimpse the even greater value of eternal life. The Father places such a high value on each of your souls that he lives within your human minds beckoning, maneuvering, leading you toward him so that you will never truly die, but will live forever in his eternal kingdom. How wonderful that you can enlist as his agents. How wonderful that you can claim your sonship or daughterhood and own that reality in your hearts and minds.
The Father knows in the rush and worry of your every day lives that you may be unthinking toward his children and forgetful of him. But, the Father does not forget you, he knows every thought you think, the very hairs upon your head are numbered, [2] that is how valuable you are. Everything about you was fashioned with his love. Your trials, your worries, even these are given with love in order that you may grow strong and true in your spiritual bodies.
It is said that life is but a day’s work so do it well. And in that day, you serve the Father in all you do. There is no escaping the Father’s love, he has you firmly within his grasp. You can’t change that. No matter how self-serving or lost you may be in your lives, you are only lost as far as you are concerned. The Father knows where you are every moment.
Taking time to reach toward him consciously, appreciatively, lovingly is what worship is. And, worship when you finally understand it, and can practice it, is like relaxation, rejuvenating rest. It is in those moments when the self is completely forgotten and the Father is perceived.
His love is not a blinding flash of light. His love is understanding, considerate, tender and merciful. He is not far away in a distant galaxy. No, he is here within your minds, graspable, an open ear ready to listen, and always is he communicating his love to you if you could only hear it, if you could only feel it. The Father’s mercy is not bounded. His hand of forgiveness is not staid or turned away by any actions or non actions. The Father has no requirements but one, that you love him sincerely and that you show his love to his other children. There is no right way or ritual or a group or dietary requirement, clothing requirement and so on. These are all human, childish things to the Father.
Walking toward him means walking toward him with everything you are and everything you are today. Many people are afraid of God, they try to hide from him or want to change before they approach him but this can never be for you cannot truly change for the better without approaching him completely.
The Father’s arms are always open. He longs for you to come to his as a child to a parent in weariness, confusion, when you are disheartened and lonely and even more when things are good, when you feel fine about yourself. In all times, in all moods, in all ways, the Father stands ready to receive you. There is nothing you can do which would close this opportunity.
You may experience times of separation when you feel cut off from the Father, but that is in your consciousness not his. The truth is, you are never cut off from God. Ever and always does he stand ready to receive you. And how do you move toward him? By loving him.
Loving God gradually is transformed into worshiping God. As his love mingles with yours, that love is elevated and your soul receives comfort and rest. Love God my children. Perceive him in all of his creation. Perceive him in people, and in all living things and in this your worship is enhanced for you are coming to know and appreciate that which is loved. Love each other, for that is God’s great gift to his children. There is nothing so sublime as loving and being loved. There is nothing with greater value.
Are there any questions at this time?
Dialogue
Q: Yes Ham, I’d like to have a little guidance in my wandering way, please.
Ham: Certainly. My daughter, you do very well. Often times you search for things you already have forgetting that you have them. Sometimes you forget your status and standing as a beloved daughter of the almighty Father. Such a one is never helpless, such a one is never lost. The way may not always be clear to you. There may be times when you feel as though you are pushing at the wrong doors. But, remember that it is through the Father’s love that all things exist. Your life is under his auspices, even his guidance and control. Why then would you worry, why then would you be distressed or even discouraged? Allow yourself the liberty of seeing the Father’s hand in all things and in that way you can be free, calm, and open without fear.
The Father never pushes or prods. He only beckons lovingly, tirelessly. I know that some times the emotion of the moment, the urgency of the situations seem to require other reactions. But as you grow in spiritual security, the temporary tempests of life seem calm and not so destructive. Where the immature soul sees destruction, the mature soul sees rearranging. So, if you are willing to allow God’s rearranging in your life, it may seem like a tornado has come through, but look again, and you will see order and even a path cleared for you. You do very well my dear. You are handling a lot of pressure very well. Fear not for the things that seem distorted as through a lens will become clear. Fear not, all is well.
Closing
Are there any further questions at this time? Very well then, go in peace my children. Life is an adventure. Treat it as such. Nothing is that tragic and nothing is that wonderful. Life is full of both and everything propels you forward. Steer yourselves always towards God and all else shall be added unto you.
