My mind holds only what I think with God.
(133) I will not value what is valueless.
(134) Let me perceive forgiveness as it is.
I had quite a day yesterday.
I am occasionally confronted with temptations to journey along another route.
They come in the form of people saying “Get a job!” to which I silently think “I have a job.”
It doesn’t pay any money, but it is my job to follow Jesus, and there is no other option for me.
I spent the entire day crying yesterday, tears of joy that I have been set upon this path. A lot of people simply do not understand the life I live. They think it is irresponsible.
Yesterday someone was yelling at me saying “I am so pissed off at you that you don’t have any money. You need to get a job.”
I did not speak. I was completely silent. All I could think was “I have a job.”
I have a full-time job. Following Jesus, and being available to Him.
I am in full time service to go wherever God would have me go.
When I didn’t speak, my friend calmed down and then said “Do you want me to read today’s lesson?” and I said “yes, please” and it was about giving up the world, and seeking only the truth.
Precisely. This is my path.
I will not value what is valueless.
The Last Temptation of Christ. Have you seen the movie? Or read the book (by author Nikos Kazantzakis). It’s so awesome. It’s about what would have happened if Jesus had turned right, instead of turning left. The first part of the movie is about Jesus’ life, as the biblical interpretation where he teaches, heals, then is crucified and resurrects after 3 days.
The last temptation is the story as it MIGHT HAVE BEEN if Jesus had decided to make other choices. He is faced by his greatest temptation: the normal life of a good man. What would the story had been like if he had married, had children, and made a comfortable living?
I’m grateful to call myself one of Jesus’ disciplines. He is my teacher. My dedication is to the eternal.
I know that most days it looks like I am hanging off the edge of a cliff, with no direction. And that’s pretty much what it is! Having given my life to God, I live day by day, step by step. My life is not my own. I am here only to be truly helpful, and that often does not take the appearance of being a productive, successful human being.
But I exist that if someone needs help, I am here to help them.
God is my only goal.
The Holy Spirit needs my voice, my eyes, my ears, my hands, my feet, and my life.
And He needs yours too. He needs your voice, your eyes, your ears, your hands, your feet, and your life.
He needs helpers.
This path is not about being a spiritual person or a spiritual teacher who gives workshops, and fitting God into a slot when it is convenient for you. This path is about 100% dedication. Atonement is a total commitment.
It is about allowing your mind to remember the truth every second of every hour of every day.
Working for God (and being available to be helpful) is not a part-time job.
It’s not something you volunteer for 3 nights a week, with church services on Sunday morning.
It’s a full-time commitment. 24-7.
God needs teachers. “Except for God’s teachers there would be little hope of salvation, for the world of sin would seem forever real. This is a manual for the teachers of God. They are not perfect, or they would not be here. Yet it is their mission to become perfect here, and so they teach perfection over and over, in many, many ways, until they have learned it. And then they are seen no more, although their thoughts remain a source of strength and truth forever.”
God needs teachers. “Into this hopeless and closed learning situation (the world), which teaches nothing but despair and death. God sends His teachers. And as they teach His lessons of joy and hope, their learning finally becomes complete.”
So you see, I have a job.
It doesn’t fit into any description that the world holds, but I have a job: teaching God’s lessons of joy and hope, every moment of every day, to anyone who needs help.
Today’s lesson says: “I will not value what is valueless.”
There is no compromise in what your choice must bring. It cannot give you just a little, for there is no in between. Each choice you make brings everything to you or nothing.”
I will not value what is valueless, and only what has value do I seek, for only that do I desire to find.
Should you begin to let yourself collect some needless burdens, or believe you see some difficult decisions facing you, be quick to answer with this simple thought:
“I will not value what is valueless, for what is valuable belongs to me.
And then the 2nd lesson is “Let me perceive forgiveness as it is.”
I quickly remember that all the “attacks” and “temptations” to help me “find my way” are really coming from a place of total love, from people who really love me and who simply do not want to see me get hurt, or be homeless.
So, thank you for your concern. I really do appreciate it.
But I’m not worried or fearful, so you shouldn’t be either.
God goes with me wherever I go. I’m perfectly safe. And so are you.
God is with you.
Facebook comments:
The biggest mistake that we can make is to believe we should be doing something else or that we could be doing something else or we would be doing something else………..if.
We are doing exactly what we need to do, now.
You are perfect, Lisa Natoli. You present us with the example to see that same perfection in ourselves.
Thank you with love!
I think the ‘last’ temptation is to think that there IS another route.
Or, that there is something or somewhere or somehow that is (or even could possibly be) excluded from a single purpose. And, subsequently, clinging to the notions that there is some form of particular route that is special.
The interesting thing to me about “Last Temptation” is that the ‘other route’ was a fantasy. It occured right smack in the middle of the Crucifixion, right on the cross. It was all in His mind, and didn’t change a thing. To me this is a striking metaphor for a lot of what ACIM teaches.
lova ya “Leese”
Yeah EJ – Why NOT get a job?
Don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing.
I don’t know what Jesus has in mind for me or where I am to demonstrate the miracle.
When my mind is whole no matter where I am and no matter what I am doing, then I am cool. I am with the program.
In the “Last Temptation”, Judas says to Jesus at the end:
“You get back up on that cross. I had the hard job. I had to betray you. All you had to do was be crucified, but YOU WENT AND HID YOURSELF IN THE LIFE OF SOME MAN!”
I have always remembered that line. He HID himself. He forgot who he was, or he tried to have it on his own terms.
The real deal is remembering no matter the outward circumstance.
WHOOOOOOHOOOOOO Rock On!!
Sweet Lisa,
What an amazingly beautiful post! Thank you. You KNOW who you are so completely and so totally. You have no need to do anything but what your Father directs. You are a true Disiple!
The JOY experienced, as I read your post was such a blessing. I KNOW who I am as well, and it’s so amazing to see it reflected back! Oneness is FUNness!!!
You are doing your “job” excellently, carry on.
Love, Bethie
http://ourholyinheritance.blogspot.com/
Lisa, ” to thine own self be true”. Thank you and happy holiday.
These are great comments. Thank you.
the crucifixion also only happened in your mind . after all the beatings and crown of thorns and being hung on a cross was also an illusion .
he resurrected . nothing happened . in chapter 3 he calls it a useless journey .
relax . waking up is inevitable. stay out of the way.
max.
Just think of all the miracles and healing you could be offering by saying “Would you like paper or plastic?”
Just kidding!
I remember something that Dear One said to me once. We were having breakfast outside at the “Rose” (those great Belgian Waffles) after bible, and I was talking to him about a “Reunion Center” that I’d just been teaching at. He looked at me and said, “You better watch out, if you start taking this stuff seriously I’ll put you in charge,”