Staying the Course

Image by Blueberry Pony via Flickr

Good Morning Abba, I've been getting a bit discouraged about the numbers of folks who aren't coming to visit this blog.  I've had on occasion thought about ending it because I'm not getting the kind of response I had hoped for when starting out. Then I ran across Janet Connors' website "Writing Down Your Soul"  and I see that there are others out there doing much the same thing. It heartens me to know that you are speaking with others on much the same level that you are speaking with me. Beside I do this mostly for me. If others get something from it that's swell. Thank You.

No questions to me this morning?

Well, No not really. The power of prayer is on my mind. I seldom pray as a request for your help. Often for guidance but I have trouble with accepting prayer as helpful in fulfilling needs.

Yet, you seldom fail to say thank you and give me credit when something needful does happen. It seems to me that in this instance your afraid of walking your talk. What is that about?


Disappointment possibly. I have failed at times to get what I wanted or thought I needed though I've tried prayer, affirmations and the work necessary to succeed, yet often success eludes me.

Is that what you want then, success? How do you define that?


I'm thinking of the material trappings of modern day living that I've had such difficulty attaining or holding on to. I want more security for my family. I want meaningful , not demeaning work.

So ask, then.


Lord, God of my understanding. I pray for your help in obtaining meaningful work, something I can be proud of doing while bringing in considerably more money so as to raise our standing of living. I ask your help in resolving the issues caused by past mistakes. I pray for a quick and enduring solution the to the economic conditions within our country and throughout the world. I pray for relief in those countries so devastated by natural disasters. I pray for an end to the conflicts around the globe that threaten people and their cultures.
Thank you.

Now I ask you to open your eyes, look for the evidence of your requests. Look, with trust in me and faith in how the universe works. Do what is yours to do. I will do what is mine to do.

Prayer - Small action at a Distance

Good Evening Lord..

Good Evening Michael. Are you ready to begin?

I think so. I’ve been having problems feeling your presence lately. It seems that you are a great distance away. As if I have to make an extra effort to reach you. It also seems I’m having difficulty starting this is the fourth or fifth attempt I have made at starting. Such a simple start, “Good Evening, Lord” I think I’m angry again and that often gets in the way of our conversations.

You have been dwelling on the seeming unfairness of life. Life, death health and sickness are all part of How the Universe Works. Why do these questions come around again to anger you?

I guess its more personal now. I’ve had cancer and that’s fine. I can accept that I brought it on myself by my habits and lifestyle over the last half century. Its different though when it’s a twenty-something who is just barely into adulthood. It doesn’t seem fair.

The universe doesn’t play favorites, Michael. The rules are the rules and will remain unchanged. There is room for uncertainty, however. Uncertainty is built into the system. A certain amount of randomness is present at all times. You may consider uncertainty a fundamental process in the physics of how the universe works. Your scientist have labeled it “chaos theory” as if it were somehow separate from the rest of how the universe works. But uncertainty is integral to every ongoing process. You are aware as a meteorologist the role uncertainty plays in the weather. That same randomness is at play in sports, in who wins the lottery. In who is struck by lightning in who survives a shark attack or in who gets cancer. Let’s consider your “twenty-something” . Its unfortunate that he was exposed to a toxin in his environment for a sufficient amount of time to become susceptible. its unfortunate that he has a genetic predilection for a weakness in his auto-immune system that allowed this toxin to cause an out of control growth (cancer) in his bladder. We use the term “unfortunate” with the understanding that it is the randomness of the universe working, just as we use the term fortunate for one who is the recipient of a positive outcome. When the odds are highly unlikely as in a million to one shot we can use the term “miracle” to describe the likelihood of a certain event happening.

Does prayer change the odds. Does it make one outcome more likely than another? Is prayer one of the variables in how the universe works?

Do you mean can I be swayed by consciousness? That is what prayer is, correct? An attempt to change how the universe works using consciously controlled means? The answer is yes of course. Consciousness is often used to affect physical processes. The wings of an airplane use the rules of aerodynamics to oppose the force of gravity. Energy is channeled in a large variety of ways by your mechanical, electrical and quantum methods. Prayer is another such process. Quantum mechanics has brought to attention the ability of consciousness to affect events at the subatomic level. Events at the subatomic level influence events in the larger world. Does this mean that thinking of an outcome or praying for a particular outcome cause that outcome to occur? No it means that prayer does indeed change the odds of an event happening.

You are telling me that prayer is not a guarantee of anything, in fact prayer can change the outcome in a negative way. Is that true?

Think of prayer’s effect as the small action at a distance that works with other actions to achieve a desired outcome. For example; add prayer to the knowledge and expertise of the medical staff against the virulence of the cancer and it just may be the factor that begins the healing process. All the necessary ingredients were lined up but were evenly balanced against the disease. Prayer changed the odds enough to allow the “miracle” to occur. Faith, hope, doubt, skepticism all play a role as well. One thing more I should say at this point. You have a tendency to work against the effects of prayer by being doubtful of the efficacy of prayer. I have just shown you that prayer works, but not in every case. Often the odds are too well stacked against the desired outcome. But don’t stop praying when it seems hopeless because, prayer can produce miracles.

Aspects

Good morning Lord.

I almost asked how you were today. But I already know the answer, Your perfect of course, like a sunset is perfect ever changing but ever present.
Yep, you got it. How are you this morning; perfect too I trust?

I am feeling good this morning, I know that I'm perfect in the same way you are, ever changing and fine just the way I am. But as a somewhat frail human I find that my frailties often affect how I feel about myself in any given moment. I assume you don't have that problem. Is that correct?

Let me repeat myself you and I are one, What you feel and every other living creature feels I feel. And I can empathize with your state of being at this moment but you are not the center of my Universe. I care but these are things you can and must deal with. You understand?

Yes I get it. Its my life, not yours. Similar to how I can empathize with my children and be here to share their problems I cannot live their lives for them.

Exactly right, love, share, help when you can but ultimately it is their life to live.

Thanks. Could we talk a little bit about you and your character, I understand that you are how the universe works. But could I have a little deeper insight.

I am that I am. I express myself in everything that occurs everyhere in the Universe. I am the yin and the yang, the Alpha and the Omega. I am that I am.

Stop please, I get it enough of these trite overused phrases. I expect a little more from God.

Do you really? Then why do you so often think of me in these trite phases without really thinking about what that really means. To answer to your unasked question it really that simple, yet each one of you will manifest me to fit your beliefs, values and expectations and experience. An atheist will not look to me for companionship, or guidance or help, where a theist would look to me. Thus Any personality I have is a reflection of the person any of you want me to be: thus by turn I am a vengeful god, a wrathful god. a god slow to forgive, a punishing god, A loving god, a caring god, a shepherd through the dark times a small still voice. A laughing Jesus, and A savior. I am all things to all people and you get to decide, Because all of these aspects and an infinite number more are all equally true and equally false depending on the point of view of each individual. I have created you free to believe what you will about me. I epitomize opposites, the alpha, the omega, the yin and the yang. Capice?