2008-02-17. The Order of the Day
Rio Rancho #156
Topic: The Order of the Day
Group: Rio Rancho TeaM
Teacher: Merium
TR: Gerdean
Opening
MERIUM: Good afternoon, my friends, this is Merium. I could not wait!
Group: Greetings!
MERIUM: It is so good to be in your company again, and to enjoy the sublime vitality of this specific configuration here in this home where we have not met before, and to enjoy your lovely companies — old and new.
Yes, the music was a delight. I am reminded of an Oriental garden, perhaps even such as you might conceive of in Edentia, where simplicity and harmony are the order of the day.
Lesson
There are many things that can be the order of the day. The business that Gerdean sought to present to you was just such a project as I would discuss briefly with you today, since it seems that the audacity of hope is such that the juices get to flowing and the creative sap begins flowing through the veins, as maple syrup flows this time of year, and a world enters into a season of wanting to get things underway, wanting to bring into being a new dimension, a new plateau, a new regime, a new season, a new era, a new age, a new time, a new day.
The excitement over the possibilities is alive and well in this room this afternoon. Perhaps it is the new environment; perhaps it is the sunshine; perhaps it is the tea and crumpets, but it certainly does include the mental, emotional and spiritual energies inherent in you who comprise this group, in your hopes, dreams and aspirations — if not of and for yourself then at least for the world at large and the future yet to come.
Parents love their children. Grandparents love their grandchildren. And so many years of organization come to play a major part in that which you would hand on down through the ages to those who come after you and those who tread beyond you, past you, out into the future to create yet new rows to hoe in the unfolding of your planetary destiny. It is hard not to revel in this sense of possibility that presents itself here today.
One of the things that is being considered by many mortals is a reconstruction of the church, even a Urantia Church, or “home church” that allows gatherings similar to what we have engaged in for many, many months if not years to fellowship, praise and worship. And new ideas coming into vogue about incorporating a broader range of religiosity than Christianity, one to include all humanity: the Hindus and Buddhists and Native Americans and Sikhs and Hebrews and on and on.
And so it is very apparent to me and to us how the march of ages has made great strides and is now poised on the brink of yet more and newer concepts and projects to lure humankind forward into greater consciousness. This, of course, is fostered by and will lead to greater appreciation for a greater reality. That is to say God profits from these exercises that you engage in with such fervor and creativity. Even as mortals delight in debunking and critiquing efforts of others, that too serves as a stimulus for many, as does competition.
Indeed, the future trend may well be to positively compete rather than negatively compete, so that there are no losers, but everyone is a winner simply because they have engaged in a process of uplifting, of bringing into being inspiring works of art and progress by their concern — not for personal gain but for altruistic purposes — in the service of humankind, ultimately to the credit of the deity which oversees us all — regardless of the names used or the titles given — because ultimately there faith is so secure and so sublimely contained within them, they are unruffled when in the face of those who believe differently.
It is too easy now for me to go trippingly through the flower gardens of my imagination and point out how well so many flowers grow so well together, enhancing and augmenting one another as compared to competing with each other and choking each other out. Indeed, when you allow yourself to be guided by that still, small voice which resides deep within you, that personal Fragment of divinity that is destined to be your immortal soul, you will find yourself growing in that patch which best suits your inherent temperament, and thus over time you will find yourself in gardens such as you would indeed find on Edentia.
I would not begrudge a wildflower the right to exist, not for anything. But in the advance into divine order, there are certain inherent promises that cannot help but come true, and so we let go of that which no longer serves in order to embrace that which will enhance and augment all that we have known before while furthering us into the destiny of tomorrow.
Now that we have begun the pattern of the new year, that of meeting twice a month, and having this alternate Sunday to serve as a new criterion outreach or topical studies open to creative design, projects are in the offing, even in our own neighborhood. It would be a good time to talk among yourselves as to what you feel you can bring to the advancement of spiritual reality and/or truth, beauty and goodness as that is perceived by humans, and what is not, or what you cannot.
But whatever you decide, I am happy to be invited to observe, to attend, to companion, to baby sit, to teach, to counsel, to nurture and to design with you that which we are in Him who has sent us into this gathering as we have created it, in order to be all that we can be and do all that we can do for that which we hold dear.
I am rejoicing and in a merry mood. May I please have a cookie?
Group: Sure! Which kind, though. That’s the question!
MERIUM: Would you like to chat or ask questions?
Dialogue
Elena: I wanted to ask a question. Actually, what you were talking about, Merium, about how we could bring truth, beauty and goodness to the world or some spiritual enlightenment, and lately — I mean, there are so many things that seem in such dire situations. Every time I look at the TV (which is rare!), but whether it’s animals or politics or disease, it just seems like everything is going toward — at least the way it’s presented — is going toward the brink of disaster, actually, and I have the feeling that a lot of us are not doing enough, or … I feel kind of stymied in ways about how I can give something that would be of the most benefit, and how I can do more, and yet I don’t know how I can do more.
MERIUM: Well, let me interrupt you here and address a couple of things that you mentioned. One is your perspective, and it is always helpful when looking at things to look at them in the context of past and future. When you can see only what is now, without cause and effect, without perspective, it is easy enough to become overwhelmed.
Elena: Right.
MERIUM: It is also fair to say that your media has a major influence on your perspectives, not only because they are in a position to emotionally slant your perceptions, but because they are still a fairly new media. Many of you here remember the days when the radio was the only means of communication, and now you have not just television but hundreds of channels and many news programs and talk shows that help justify and rationalize every vantage point.
As for trouble, there has always been trouble, but it was not so well publicized, and so many people did not know of the troubles until recently. Many of you here will recall the day when the mores required that you kept your skeletons in the closet and you kept your private and you kept your troubles to yourself, whereas now they are on Dr. Phil and the Jerry Springer Show regularly. And so the dysfunction(s) that have been hidden and the injustices that have been glossed over are now grist for entertainment’s mill.
Elena: So it’s not necessarily worse now that it has ever been, is what you are saying.
MERIUM: This is very true. You are just becoming more aware. I even remember it was not long ago that you, Elena, did not have time to think much about these details. Your focus was hell bent on your administrative tasks.
Elena: [Chuckling] Yeah. “Hell” is a good word for that. [Laughter]
Men-O-Pah: It’s hell bent!
Elena: Well, it’s not so hellish anymore. Thank God!
MERIUM: So you see? You have been brought into the light where you are able now to see things that you didn’t have time to see before. Do not let the awareness of these circumstances of your world overwhelm you.
Elena: Thank you. That is good perspective. Because it has been really weighing me down. Every time– I mean, I just start feeling — crying! I mean … an animal show only has to start. I don’t even know what’s in it, but then I start, “Oh, my gosh!” so thank you for kind of pulling me out there.
MERIUM: Your personal teachers would be happy to help you see how it is that you undermine yourself by indulging your senses in ways that are detrimental to effectiveness of the spirit. [Hmmm] I wanted to respond further to your sharing.
Yes, you do have a tendency to carry the world on your shoulders. Many of you do. It is a part of your cultural conditioning. It is how you feel responsible. It is a part of worrying, which has been seen as a justifiable replacement for prayer. However, worry has no hope; prayer does.
When you find yourself worrying about the world and the horrible, dreadful, repulsive and dangerous situations in it, rather than worry about it, give it to God to worry about. I think we have had this conversation before. If you give it to God to worry about, He will let you know of any specific areas that you might be able to help with because you will feel lifted up from within by a power greater than your own, that will virtually hold you aloft in order to do the deed that must be done that you have deemed your destiny.
You were talking earlier about how this recent unfolding of your creative arts has fallen into place, how easy it was and how much you enjoy it. This is a way that you have discovered to contribute beauty, balance, harmony and commerce to socialization, and thus you have augmented life by your participation therein, and have not worried much about it at all. And so you see the point of not worrying but allowing the wellspring within you to pull you forward into that which will satisfy you most effectively.
Of course there are those naysayers and debunkers who would say, “Yes, well, I can see then millions of people being led down some primrose lane, some Luciferian path into divers lusts and morasses of their own choosing for egoistic purposes and pleasure-seeking reasons.” Sure. There are those. But they are not as effective as are those of you who live in the light. That which dwells in the shadows of reality are doomed to distance themselves farther and farther from the truth; they are not your concern. As you let your light shine, and you shine it upon all who will see, they may be inspired by your example to come forth out of the shadows and try the light themselves.
God lures you forward. He never pushes, coerces, browbeats or drives you forward. He lures you. And so observe what you allow yourselves to be lured by. Is it something that flatters your ego to the detriment of the divine will? Or does it enhance your self-esteem such that you radiate the divine will? You are here for a reason. It is not necessary for you to hide your light under a bushel, as they say. Humility does not mean snuffing out your life or your light. It means letting it so shine that it will be effective.
Being effective may not be on a grand scale. But if you can be effective with one or two individuals on a daily basis, then you are meeting the minimum daily requirements of nurturing your own life. And as you are capable, willing and able to do more, then by all means do so because you want to, not because you feel obligated. When you feel obligated to serve, you soon burn out and develop resentments, so let your service calling be something that is motivated from within. Not within your head! — or even within your heart — but from your very soul.
Elena: Thank you. That’s very helpful, and I really appreciate that. Thank you very much.
Reneau: For all of us.
Elena: We never can do enough so thank you for putting it in perspective of just a literal example about day to day things about what you can do, so that was really great. Thank you, Merium.
MERIUM: There’s that wretched side effect from the crucifixion and the gospel according to Paul, that would have you feel guilty and fallen from grace, that you had caused the crucifixion by your sinful nature. This has had a dreadful effect on humanity. Living in guilt for generations … for centuries … has weakened you. You are involved now in the Correcting Time which will obliterate that low-level of self-consciousness from your mindset, but it is so deep-seated, and so prevalent, it will be difficult. It will require much practice and no little amount of time for it to become as if it had not been, particularly when you look at the global prospects. It is not, in other words, just your problem. It has been a problem on this world for quite some time. Not only the crucifixion but also “the fall from grace,” so that influence under which you live goes back very far into your planetary history — and I don’t even want to go that far back to look at the effects of the rebellion!
Reneau: 250,000 years!
MERIUM: Although my co-Teacher Paulo did seem to enjoy his platform of teaching which testified to your heritage, seeing you as children of a rebellious nature and finding fascination in the fact that rebellion, which is so much a part of your world, has been able to turn into an asset for those of you who are able to rebel against false teachings or false prophets or those things which are anathema to the divine will and/or to your own sense of righteousness.
There are so many things to be learned by experience, and because your world has experienced rebellion and default and tragedy, does not remove it from the realm of fascinating rhythm. The lessons to be learned from your world are going to provide us with a case study for eternity. And you yourselves are living scholars of this fact. You who have been able to persevere under such dire circumstances, sometimes so dire you dare not even look, but your faith is intact and your flag waves high in honor of our Michael Son, our Creator, our Father, our God.
We’ll take a break to take care of some mechanics, and I would like to come back if you have a few more minutes. Let’s be in recess.
[Recess]
[During recess we discussed Mary Livingston’s (Spiritual Quest) Project and Michael Melody’s (Organized “Home Church”) Project and other Projects designed to foster the light of truth on Urantia, not excluding the church service many attended this morning]
MERIUM: I have had about as many cookies as I can eat. [Laughter] I had one of every kind. Every one is delicious and I agree the brownies are excellent. I think I had better come back in here and get in my two cents before its time for me to call it a day. I wanted to say that your interim conversations were soul satisfying. It is gratifying to sit and listen to sincere and earnest religionists like yourselves discuss your impetus for being … what serves you and what you would like to serve others.
I have to say that the doing is secondary to the being. And so the Correcting Time extends into doing, certainly, but the first thing to do is to learn to be, and to learn to be all that you can be. And in the process, although it is not recommended that you not also do, it is urged that you learn to be all that you can be so that what you do is more clearly a reflection of divine truth, beauty and goodness than more of the same repeated cultural conditioning from the past.
It’s all a part of the progressive and onward march of evolution, and you are certainly all not only in the thick of it, but in many ways running on ahead. You are courageous thinkers and independent actors on the stage of life and to the extent that you think your own thoughts and have your own perceptions, you can be regarded as courageous and bold.
It is always good for us teachers to touch base with you as to what your needs are. We come in and address we where we perceive you to be, but it is wise to ask what you think you know and need, for ultimately, even though Michael and Machiventa establish the curriculum that we teach, they cannot teach of you are not willing to learn. And so asking you occasionally what is necessary for your comprehension and what stimulates and encourages your own engagement with the process of life as a happy and fruitful yet challenging experience, it’s good to share these things.
It’s good to know what constitutes the individuals who constitute a group. Not so that everyone can compromise themselves into a situation where the group consciousness is spread so thin it cannot be effective, but rather so that a review of the collective consciousness of the group can reveal where the strong points are and where the weakness is — if there s such a weakness. And so you become more effective – for yourselves and for the group itself.
This on-going dichotomy is the walk we take, taking care of personal correcting and exercising that right of passage into the greater reality of your earthly kingdom, gradually and eventually imposing upon it enough divine reality as to bring a new hue, add a glimmer of yet more light, en route to our ultimate goals.
And so as we sit here being who we are, let us take a moment to enjoy that fact. That we are. That each of us is an aspect of our divine Creator. That each of us has been created to glorify the light and in glorifying this illumination, we glorify ourselves, we become all that we can be in the divine light. Any shadows will be eventually released and removed, and we here will have attained light in life.
And today is a resplendent example of how glorious that state of being can be! Your brilliant winter sun shining on the Land of Enchantment gives evidence of the truth, beauty and goodness that is yours today and will be for eternity in the precise and appropriate conditions for you.
Closing
Let us give thanks to Universal Father and all of the Paradise Trinity, and all of their extended Family, for the privilege of being part of that Family, in this glorious universe. And in sharing this cosmic connection, let us ever be grateful for one another.
I’ll see you next time. Bye-Bye!
