The Love Within

If there were only one “season of Love”, this would most likely be it. This time of year shows us and lets us show God’s Love. We enjoy and celebrate the Love demonstrated by the birth of Jesus who not only embodied but fully lived the Christ Spirit in every element of his human existence.

Beautiful signs and symbols of the celebration surround us: Christmas decorations and trees and lights and gifts; holiday gatherings and songs and food. And more food. We surround ourselves with family and friends. We extend greetings and conversations to people we don’t even know, starting with a smile and a “Merry Christmas!”

This is a season of Love. And while we express that Love and share that Love and spread that Love, let us also take a look at that Love existing fully within each of us.

I recently discovered the beautiful website for the Great Lakes Region Y.O.U. and this statement of Unity Principle #2:

God is individualized in each person as the Christ Consciousness.

The spirit of God is in every person. Jesus realized — truly real-ized — the power each and every one of us has to fulfill that God-spirit, the Christ, each of us is. Imagine waking every morning and asking yourself, “How can I be more Christlike today?” Then consider taking it up a notch: “How will I be more Christlike today?”

The surest and simplest ways to act and answer that question are to show and share Love.

A Course in Miracles identifies “the holy Self we share”. In other words, the Christ we are, the Divinity God gives as part of our creation. And then ACIM offers:

This Self alone knows Love. This Self alone is perfectly consistent in Its Thoughts;
knows Its Creator, understands Itself, is perfect in Its knowledge and Its Love,
and never changes from Its constant state of union with Its Father and Itself.

(A Course in Miracles, Lessons: Review V, Introduction)

That Self seems pretty clearly the Christ Spirit that Jesus knew and lived and offered us as the example of what we each can strive to be. It’s all about Love.

God is but Love, and therefore so am I.

That Love exists within each of us. Knowing and enjoying that Love Within unconditionally is pivotal to the Hope, Peace, and Joy this season brings. The story of Evy McDonald is a fascinating story of her discovery of Self-Love. She grew out of the emotional depths of being diagnosed wth amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. Lou Gehrig’s Disease by deciding to learn how to love herself. She stated:

“As I sat in my wheelchair, six months from death, a single, passionate desire pressed to the front of my mind.
In my last months of life I wanted to experience unconditional love. I wanted to know that sweetness.”

The diagnosis was in the 1980s and gave Evy 6 months to live. She still serves at Grace Methodist Church in Newburgh, NY. I encourage you to read either the simple summary or Evy’s detailed recount of her experience.

The phrase I AM draws sharp our connection with God. God told Moses, “I AM who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM sent me to you.” Consider that “I AM” is the name God gave Itself and is the simple statement of your and of my BE-ing. Powerful.

Jesus affirmed that connection in a series of I AM statements. Conscious awareness that the I AM is each of us allows each of us to affirm our connection, our possession of Love. And that awareness allows us to act upon our I AM.

I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. (John 6:35)
(We have the opportunity to share spiritual nourishment with others.)

I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life. (John 8:12)
(By making visible the light within our Self, we offer awareness of the light everyone possesses.)

I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)
(By forgiving ourselves for any illusion of separation we give the gift of knowing we are One.)

I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6)
(We demonstrate by our actions and behaviors our faith in our Oneness with God, our Love.)

Here’s wishing you a wonderfully Merry Christmas. As we move closer to the actual day that celebrates the birth of Jesus and his living fully as the Christ Spirit, let us all express Love and share Love and spread Love. Not only today and tomorrow. Always. All ways.

You can listen to the lesson by clicking here.

Love and Blessings!

Posted on December 24, 2012 at 10:55 am by Tim · Permalink
In: Christ Spirit, Forgiveness, God, Happiness, Joy, Love, Prayer, Unity Principles · Tagged with: , , , ,