As I sit here staring at the blank computer screen, hands on
the keyboard, struggling for what to write, the thought comes, “You have to
write something.” I immediately feel tension in my body, my stomach churns, and
my mind is flooded with thoughts of incompetency and unworthiness. These
thoughts are NOT HELPFUL!
I close my eyes, take a deep breath and smile as the thought
arises, “Get out of the way!” The still, small voice for God tells me to move
aside. I am reminded of Jesus’ teaching in which he encouraged his disciples,
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about
your life…Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither
storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them…Consider the lilies, how they grow:
they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was
not clothed like one of these… And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to
drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these
things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek the kingdom
of God, and these things will be given to you as well. – Luke 12: 22-31
I am astounded when I reflect on all the times I get in the
way of the flow of God in and through my life. I am astonished when I become
consciously aware of all the worrying, toiling and striving I engage in on a
daily basis. I worry about not being good enough or having enough. I toil and
spin in order to achieve success, by whatever measure I choose to define it at
that particular time. I strive for prosperity. And, I create anxiety for myself
in the process. “Oh, you of little faith! Get out of the way!” says the voice
of God within.
As I stop to consider the raven and other birds, I notice
that they seem to be guided by an internal sense of knowing. They alight on a
tree branch, take flight often without provocation, build nests when needed,
and eat when they are hungry. They live seemingly by instinct. They don’t appear
to worry about even their basic needs - where the next meal will come from or
if they will have the materials needed for their nests. They are simply being birds.
Likewise, the lilies of the field grow from the seeds or
bulbs that are planted in the ground and nurtured by the soil, rain and sun.
They take root where they are planted, then sprout and flower at the perfect
time in concert with nature. They share their beauty and fragrance with the
world. They are not concerned with whether or not they are appreciated or how
they may compare to the roses or other flowers.
Some might think it unfair, however, for Jesus to compare us
to birds and lilies. They know nothing of our human concerns, such as money,
health, relationships and the like. They don’t have to get out of the way
because there is nothing in their way. Oh!
Jesus’ comparison was intentional. He was not being
flippant. His lesson was calculated. Jesus embraced and embodied the Kingdom of
God consciousness, the consciousness of Oneness in God. He knew, as Unity’s
first basic principle states, that there is One Presence and One Power
expressing in all life. He knew that the same power that inspires birds to
build nests and find food, is the same power that moves in and as each of us to
guide us to all we need in every moment. He knew that the same power that
enfolds the beauty and fragrance of the lilies in the seed is the same power
that enfolds within us the potential flowering of our true selves.
His encouragement to his disciples and to all of us to seek
(and find) the Kingdom of God within us is to know our unity in the One
Presence and One Power, the Source of creation, and to allow ourselves to be
inspired to act in alignment with the inner knowing of our True Nature. In
other words, he is instructing us to get out of the way and allow the Kingdom
of God to express through us. This does mean that we are to just sit back and
trust that everything will come to us. It does not mean that we do not act. The
birds still seek out food and build nests; they just do it without stress and
struggle.
We seek (and find) the Kingdom of God through the practices
of prayer and meditation, centering our awareness in the conscious knowing of
the One Power and One Presence. In the silence of our hearts and minds, we
listen for the still small voice of God. We then follow, and act on the
inspiration we receive. And from that knowing, we do so in peace, letting all
else just be as we move in harmony with what already is.
Join us on Sunday for our 10:00 service as we identify some
of the ways we get in the way and explore some of the practices that can help
us get out of the way.
So true, so simple, yet so easy to forget or set aside. I look forward to exploring more ways to foster this way of being from your talk this Sunday!
ReplyDeleteWe see the birds fly and the lilies grow and think they are doing so stress free. I don't know the minds of lilies, but the animals I have known do have stress in their lives. My take on JC telling us that the birds don't worry about their food and clothing is that we need to decide what to fret over versus what to let roll off of our backs. Should I worry about my next meal, the clothes I'm wearing or whether the sun comes out today or am I concerned with how my brothers and sisters are doing and how I can help. I see this as a lesson in priorities because concerns or worries seem to be endemic in all of life, mine, the birds, my cat's and maybe even lilies.
ReplyDeleteSo many ways to look at this passage. Stress is a natural state of the physical world and without it the universe would not hold together. Physical forces act on each other to maintain balance and serve their highest purpose. Finding that balance is what brings peace.
ReplyDeleteI watched the violent storms last weekend, and in its wake was left some natural carnage. And yet as I watched the great cottonwoods cast about in the wind, it reminded me that nature was pruning and strengthening... even as we need pruning and strengthening for our souls. Nature just accepts this. The stress created by the wind builds a stronger tree.
The contrast between the ravens and the lillies is interesting too. The ravens can move about and would appear to have great freedom to adapt to their surroundings. The lillies need to bloom where they are planted and are provided for right where they are. In my active moments as a raven, or my quiet and static moments like a lilly, the universe is providing for me. Ravens and lillies have to contend with stressful conditions too. But I am struck at the natural ease they have in just dealing with that present moment, a certainty that their needs are met.
I really believe what Jesus is saying here. He asks us to seek the Kingdom first, which is what he always asks us to do. In the Kingdom, or God consciousness there is no suffering or lack therefore no toil or worry. In our human consciousness we have the ideas of lack, stress, worry and that of course is what we project upon our world but when we shift (get out of the way) and step into our Christ Consciousness/the Kingdom our perception changes and we see the world through infinite love and supply. In that place there is a knowing that all is well and we relax into our true nature as Gods children. So to me this comment/request from Jesus is again asking us to step into reality, our Christ nature and know that all is well no matter what appears to be happening around us.
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