February 2020 Week 1 & 2

FEATURE #1 “THE GREAT SURRENDER” by Ernest Holmes

Pg 74

This month’s theme is captured by Ernest Homes, the founder in a number of ways:

Holmes idea of Oneness or inclusion when he said “God is one, and oneness means inclusion-that is, everything is in God.”

I know in Ministerial School, I found it somewhat difficult to wrap my head around that sentence but now, it makes perfect sense. We speak of love as having color and warmth, yet love is invisible. Included in the pure, divine love of God is all that is. Question: Does love suggest color to you? Does your life seem filled with color at times of happiness or even sadness (lack of color)? What do you think about when you read about….the Allness of God?

Could our level of color reveal our level of fear within us? Holmes asks us, “Why does the average person go through life afraid of the universe?” Many spiritual teachers think that it is our sense of separation that causes the fear we experience. Is fear an issue for you today? What are the reasons? Do you know that we all are Divinely loved?

According to Holmes, we all have a fundamental need for accomplishment and expression as well as a need for confidence in others and in one’s own destiny which I concur. He also says that in order to meet these needs, it is necessary to believe there is a Divine Presence and Principle greater than ourselves. I have spoken with many young people and their questions are often confusing when it comes to God and us having God qualities. Yes, we are a part of God but we did not create ourselves……big difference…..we are not God! Are these needs above mentioned the same for you? Is your life full of self-expression, confidence, accomplishment, and trust in your destiny? Do you think the key to your knowing is realizing there is a Divine Presence greater than yourself?

Holmes explains why our creativity is so important to our own happiness. When he says: “Every man has a fundamental need to express Life. We would not have it if Life were not always pressing against us. It has been called the Divine urge, the expression of Life in us, the very nature of our being.” I know I have and do constantly have this urge to express whether it is writing, painting, supporting others, sewing, decoration, designing whatever….simply put our true colors as humans is the ability to create (God only does that). We just use our desires for God to create. This one trait connects us all and we all have it.

Holmes reminds us that “The conclusion that God is all there is means that all that exists is God occupied, God-personalized, God-individualized, God in everything as that thing.” Do you think that God is present in all as our Source, substance, and activity? Do you feel God’s presence in your daily life or do you sense this Presence in your creative desires as well as its fulfillment?

God Undivided (pg75)

Note where Holmes says: “We ought to uncover this God-nature within us so that the subtle invisible force of Life would flow more fully between us and all whom we meet.”

He also suggests we say and believe: “There is only one God and that is my God. Some of that God is in me or I would not exist. Since God is not divided, as much of God as I recognize I can experience.” Remember how Jesus said that we have all we need within us.

Here, Holmes is saying the same thing but just a newer version of this truth. Have any of you tried to uncover this God-nature within you? If you have, did you feel the flow of Life between you and others? I wonder what it would look like to experience as much of God as you can recognize. Look at the lives of our many spiritual icons. What did their life look like? Clearly, when we respond to this Principle (God), it will respond to us. Holmes reminds us of this. Our Practitioners know this. When we all know this, we can create our lives certainly not as victims but as a force to be reckoned with….co-creators with the Divine.

Holmes says it beautifully when he describes a person that has this type of consciousness: one who has a nature of fellowship not dislike or antagonism, resistance, or resentment. A person who attracts…not pushes away; one who builds up and doesn’t tear down; one who has a lot of love, balance, poise and who is free from condemnation. This person is like sunlight having a warm embrace. Wouldn’t that be a person you would want to know? Are you that person?

God Defined (pg 77)

I agree with Holmes with the definition of God: “God is a synonym for Love, Life, Truth, Beauty, Reality, the Absolute, the Divine Presence, the universal Spirit.” This definition is very broad as it should be. My guess is whatever we can possibly imagine; it is more…way more.

Now that we have covered a broad spectrum of what love it, let’s look at how we can apply it to our life. Some valid questions to ask yourself:

1. Do I trust the healing Power of God with me?

2. Do I withhold love? Where and with whom?

3. Is withholding just my judgments and criticisms I have?

4. Do I actively hate or dislike anyone?

After reading this portion, you will understand and face your judgments of others. Holmes reminds us that “Only love will ever heal the wounds of the world” as he explains, “Love is the highest Principle that Life has to give us because It is Life acting in unity with Itself.” Once we understand and feel this impact, we now must look at the world differently. Holmes suggests, “Now this is the surrender we have to make: We must love everybody, we must not be afraid of anything. Then we will know that Life as Love is an all-conquering Power, carrying healing for all things.”

Wow, what a powerful statement! Are you ready to confront your state of consciousness? Are you ready for this surrender Holmes is talking about which is the answer to healing ourselves, our loved ones, and all beings of our world? This is embracing the colors of love!