Keeping the faith

Following a severe overnight storm, an elderly gentleman was walking the beach trying to avoid the thousands of starfish that had been washed up and were dying. He ran into Robert, a young man carefully throwing starfish back into the sea.

“You’re wasting your time,” the man said. “You can’t make a difference.”

As Robert sailed another starfish back into the water he said, “It makes a difference to this starfish!”

In this difficult time, we can each make a difference during this ongoing corona storm.

With the severe economic and health dislocations, conflicting advice on how to live and stay healthy, stress for most of us is at a very high level. Each of us search for ways to relieve the stresses of the world, perhaps now more than ever.

Within my chosen spiritual path, Eckankar, the Path of Spiritual Freedom, I have discovered a direct link to divine love and guidance amid the stresses of daily living. It is through singing an ancient name for God, HU (pronounced hue).

This mantra has guided soul from the beginning of time. It is a universal name for God. This sacred word can spiritually uplift people of any religion, culture or walk of life.

For me it brings solace, peace and a knowingness of God’s love.

This mantra changes our internal focus from the mind to an open heart. For it is within the heart that we listen and hear the nudges of the Holy Spirit that bring us closer to God’s love.

Singing this sacred word brings an inner calm. To listen to thousands of people singing HU and learn more, visit HearHU.org.

I am grateful for discovering this spiritual path over 30 year ago.

Eckankar offers a spiritual toolbox that provides a link and inner connection with the Holy Spirit. It’s different for everyone. Each of us is on our own journey home to God.

With difficult choices before us we can pause and do a heart check. By pausing just a few moments and listening to our heart, we may receive a knowingness of the best choice in this moment.

Singing HU is a way for me to stay connected to divine love and inner guidance in all situations.

And so how can I make a difference?

In my 80s I do not want to catch the virus. I follow CDC guidelines. I wear a mask. I make an effort to protect myself, my family and those around me by wearing a mask.

It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we currently have.

I believe that each of us can make a difference if we try.

Singing HU guides each of my steps to make a difference. A difference based on divine love.

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Is the parable about weeds and wheat relevant in the 21st century?

Jesus identified the characters as follows: the landowner is Jesus, the enemy is the devil, the field is the world, the wheat is the children of God, the weeds are those who belong to the devil, and the reapers are the angels.

But in the 21st century who are the disciples sent to nurture, feed and cultivate?

Take a look around you. If you are alone, imagine your family or friends. Realize that Jesus has planted seeds in each of us. Each of us has been called to nurture, feed and cultivate those seeds in ourselves and in those whose lives we touch in some way. We have not been called to pull the weeds.

Enjoy that good news. We only need to focus on the work God gave us. God didn’t hand out hallway monitor badges, telling us to find the weeds and separate them.

If we are honest we will acknowledge we all have some weeds sprinkled in with our wheat, I know I do.

Through prayer, study and conversation with colleagues the wheat in me is nurtured. Perhaps the weeds will fuel the refiner’s fire that the prophet Malachi says will remove the impurities from me, leaving only the wheat.

So we can see that Jesus called each of us to do a specific job. That job doesn’t include separating the world into “us” and “them” — the wheat and weeds

This raises an interesting question, what are we to do then about the evil that is around us? Are we to leave it alone? Do we ignore the racist messages we find in our community? Absolutely not.

Yet, when we confront that evil we do so knowing that our role is not to judge, but to nurture, feed and cultivate. Because we should never doubt that our God is capable of anything, even turning weeds into wheat.

So how do we nurture, feed and cultivate?

Maybe we utilize what author and theologian Kurt Struckmeyer called the nine key teachings of Jesus: “radical love, lavish generosity, extravagant forgiveness, inclusive hospitality, compassionate action, selfless service, a passion for justice, creative nonviolence and simple living.”

Here’s the thing about those nine teachings, even during a pandemic when we are quarantining and self-isolating we can still do things.

We can practice radical love through prayer. An email to an elected official can be compassionate action. A donation to the food bank can be lavish generosity.

Even during these very interesting and challenging times we can actively practice the teachings of Jesus and nurture, feed and cultivate the wheat that is in others.

Even in a pandemic we can be part of God’s work to change weeds into wheat.

Jesus has given each of us an assignment. Are we ready to nurture, feed and cultivate the field that is the world, without judgment?

Amen.

Psalms 16:11

“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”

Have you ever noticed a couple that just started dating? They are the ones at the mall or your favorite hamburger place laughing and having a great time. They are the ones who have that adoration in their eyes when they stare at each other so intently.

What makes this couple stand out? I believe it is that they truly enjoy being with the other person. It does not matter who is around them, all their focus is on their love. They find joy in being in that person’s presence.

Did you know that our joy is a result of being in God’s presence? Here in Psalms 16, David shares a wonderful truth. When we enter into God’s presence, there is fullness of joy. But why is that? How can we have this fullness of joy? I believe that there are two reasons.

1) God’s presence provides comfort.

Earlier in this Psalms, David says “… Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” (Psalms 16:8) David believed that God was always someone he could run to. All throughout the Psalms, David referenced God as his refuge or shelter. David understood that no matter the trials or blessings he was facing, he could always find comfort in God’s presence.

We can, too. We can find joy knowing that God never changes. We can run to Him and find joy in His comfort. Our lives will be full of unexpected blessings and trials. In every situation, we have a shelter or refuge to go to. We can truly have joy knowing that God provides comfort.

2) God’s presence provides peace.

Growing up, I played soccer and I loved being able to look over to the sideline and see my parents watching and supporting me. Their presence did not necessarily make me play better, but it provided peace in knowing that they were there to support me.

Truthfully, God’s presence provides peace in our lives. The Bible says in Proverbs 18:24, “… There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” No matter what is going on in our lives, when we are in God’s presence we can have peace.

Notice I didn’t mention happiness in this thought. Happiness is dependent on our circumstances. Our happiness can have ebbs and flows. Joy, on the other hand, is found in a relationship with Jesus. This attribute is consistent because it is found solely in God’s presence.

Truly, a fulfilling life is found in a daily relationship with God. I pray that you experience that joy from God’s presence today.