My thoughts* on ACIM Urtext Lesson 43, for February 12, 2024. God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him.
God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him.
* When I engage with others and “see” the confusion brought on by belief in separation from God, I have the witness within from the Holy Spirit that tells me that God IS and nothing is real that denies Him.
* The ego will make you think suffering is necessary and to watch those who have not accepted the Atonement struggle is a form of “suffering” one needs to turn over to the Holy Spirit BECAUSE it is not real, and force you away from what you know to be true.
1. Perception is not an attribute of God.
²His is the realm of knowledge.
³Yet He has created the Holy Spirit as the Mediator between perception and knowledge.
* THIS ESTABLISHES GOD’S REALITY AS BEING ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR OWN IN THE SENSE OF STRENGTH, NOT “PLACE.”
* This is a powerful understanding that MUST be understood IF THE ATONEMENT IS TO HAVE ANY MEANING OR AFFECT ON THE ILLUSION WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE FEAR AND GUILT BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE BELIEF IN SEPARATION FROM GOD.
⁴Without this link with God, perception would have replaced knowledge forever in your mind.
⁵With this link with God, perception will become so changed and purified that it will lead to knowledge.
* We ARE able to obtain KNOWLEDGE as we learn to follow the Holy Spirit and only HIM and do not give into any form of fear of that which is NOT REAL or “OF GOD.”
⁶That is its function as the Holy Spirit sees it. ⁷Therefore, that is its function in truth.
2. In God you cannot see. ²Perception has no function in God, and does not exist. ³Yet in salvation, which is the undoing of what never was, perception has a mighty purpose.
* Be careful NOT to pick a phrase or statement to stand alone outside of the entire message of the Atonement that Jesus shares with us.
⁴Made by the Son of God for an unholy purpose, it must become the means for the restoration of his holiness to his awareness.
* What the Son of God makes WILL BE USED BY GOD TO BLESS HIS SON.
⁵Perception has no meaning. ⁶Yet does the Holy Spirit give it a meaning very close to God’s.
⁷Healed perception becomes the means by which the Son of God forgives his brother, and thus forgives himself.
3. You cannot see apart from God because you cannot be apart from God.
²Whatever you do you do in Him, because whatever you think, you think with His Mind.
³If vision is real, and it is real to the extent to which it shares the Holy Spirit’s purpose, then you cannot see apart from God.
4. Three five-minute practice periods are required today, one as early and one as late as possible in the day. ²The third may be undertaken at the most convenient and suitable time that circumstances and readiness permit. ³At the beginning of these practice periods, repeat the idea for today to yourself with eyes open. ⁴Then glance around you for a short time, applying the idea specifically to what you see. ⁵Four or five subjects for this phase of the practice period are sufficient.
⁶You might say, for example:
⁷God is my Source. ⁸I cannot see this desk apart from Him.
⁹God is my Source. ¹⁰I cannot see that picture apart from Him.
5. Although this part of the exercise period should be relatively short, be sure that you select the subjects for this phase of practice indiscriminately, without self-directed inclusion or exclusion. ²For the second and longer phase, close your eyes, repeat today’s idea again, and then let whatever relevant thoughts occur to you add to the idea in your own personal way.
³Thoughts such as:
⁴I see through the eyes of forgiveness.
⁵I see the world as blessed.
⁶The world can show me myself.
⁷I see my own thoughts, which are like God’s.
⁸Any thought related more or less directly to today’s idea is suitable. ⁹The thoughts need not bear any obvious relationship to the idea, but they should not be in opposition to it.
6. If you find your mind wandering; if you begin to be aware of thoughts which are clearly out of accord with today’s idea, or if you seem to be unable to think of anything, open your eyes, repeat the first phase of the exercise period, and then attempt the second phase again. ²Do not allow any protracted period to occur in which you become preoccupied with irrelevant thoughts. ³Return to the first phase of the exercises as often as necessary to prevent this.
7. In applying today’s idea in the shorter practice periods, the form may vary according to the circumstances and situations in which you find yourself during the day. ²When you are with someone else, for example, try to remember to tell him silently:
³God is my Source. ⁴I cannot see you apart from Him.
* There will come a time when you simply “know” this is true.
* However, when we engage with others and “see” the confusion brought on by belief in separation from God, we have the witness within, from the Holy Spirit, that tells us that God IS and nothing is real that denies Him.
* The ego will tempt you to think suffering is necessary and tempt you to join those who have not accepted the Atonement as they struggle. One needs to turn this over to the Holy Spirit BECAUSE it is not real. Breathe, have patience, and listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
⁵This form is equally applicable to strangers as it is to those you think are closer to you. ⁶In fact, try not to make distinctions of this kind at all.
8. Today’s idea should also be applied throughout the day to various situations and events that may occur, particularly to those which seem to distress you in any way. ²For this purpose, apply the idea in this form:
³God is my Source. ⁴I cannot see this apart from Him.
* I see God in ALL THINGS and allow the Holy Spirit to direct me. In the Name of Christ and Our Father, amen.
9. If no particular subject presents itself to your awareness at the time, merely repeat the idea in its original form. ²Try today not to allow any long periods of time to slip by without remembering today’s idea, and thus remembering your function.
* “Our function,” again, is to forgive ANYTHING that suggests separation from God by anyone or anything because ALL of Creation is Part of The Son of God.
(ACIM, W-43.1:1–9:2)
Till next time, God bless, debi.
