YouTube: The Presence of Pure Being
Last week I talked about how the harsh reality of Roman oppression likely obscured the original message of Jesus. The Jews desperately needed their Messiah to appear. Many rejected Jesus as the one, as their hope died with him on the cross. The primary aim of the Gospel writers was to resurrect this hope with the promise that he would return and fulfil the promise of salvation.
Jesus would have been quite familiar with the Messianic hope. As we examine a thread of surviving sayings attributed to him, we could deduce that he understood salvation as a spiritual awakening to our oneness with God. God is Spirit, pure Being. Those who worship God must worship in spirit, that is, become still and know. The truth that sets us free is the revelation that we are more than the body-based identity we have come to accept. We are expressions of God.
How can a message like this be a practical help in our own time of need? Myrtle Fillmore, co-founder of Unity wrote: “The light of Spirit, quickening the understanding, sets us free from all mortal sense and the boundaries placed by the intellect.” Our vision is lifted to new heights when we know that a wisdom greater than our own is at work in our life. We turn the power of our faith from specific sources that may not deliver, to infinite possibilities that have yet to enter our mind. As we affirm that we are now in the presence of pure Being, we are affirming that the wisdom of God is unfolding the perfect solution at this very moment.
The tendency to look for salvation from people, places, and things is due, as Myrtle Fillmore recognized, to our acceptance of the boundaries placed by the intellect. The intellect is a magnificent tool for navigating this earthly landscape. But we should not forget our intuitive faculty that allows us to acknowledge the activity of the spiritual power that sets us free.
Jesus’ message of an inner kingdom translates as God is a present help in our time of need. In the stillness of solitude, we turn our faith to greater good unfolding through our life right now. We hold this thought in joy and in peace.