Everything we experience with a negative approach to life eventually compels us to pursue the goodness inherent to life. It's called empiricism: learning by experience. We don't need to believe in God in order to realize that we live within the frame of cause and effect, from which we learn to value goodness as what really matters in life. In this sense we mustn't take goodness and Love's ways and attributes for granted, but something we have come a long way to get.
As we experience negative conceptions and situations as the common predicament we face every day in the world, we learn that goodness -- as the positive approach to life -- is something we have to strive for. Goodness doesn't seem to be available wherever we are, hence we have to look for it. We do it by removing the opposite of what goodness is.
In this context we understand goodness as the common denominator of Love's ways and attributes. Thus we understand that living in the darkness of negative conceptions, prejudices, thoughts, emotions, feelings, passions and instincts sooner or later will lead us to pursue the goodness in every level and dimension of consciousness.
“Act stupid! Be astonished! Act blind, and be blind! Be drunk, but not from wine; stagger around, but not from liquor. For the Lord has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and He has closed your eyes; the prophets and your rulers, the seers [their eyes] has He covered.” (Isaiah 29:9-10)
God summons us to live in the predicament of ego's fantasies and illusions, out of the nothingness from where they come. Thus we act stupid, blind and stagger, as if God closed our eyes and understanding. Even discernment, common sense and judgment as our seers, Prophets and rulers lose the ability to guide us in the path of truth, righteousness and goodness. God claims credit as the One who covers our eyes, but we perfectly know that we are the ones who blind ourselves as we enter the realm of our own materialistic fantasies and illusions.
“And this entire vision has become for you like the words of a sealed book. When people give it to someone who can read, and say, 'Read this, please', he answers, 'I cannot, because it is sealed'. And the writing is delivered to him that is not learned, saying: 'Read this, I pray you', and he says: 'I am not learned'.” (29:11-12)
The truth is in front of our eyes, yet we seem unable to grasp it. Either way, even if we are able to see it, we rather don't have it; or if we don't know it, ignorance is our excuse. This same syndrome occurs with our obsessions, addictions, attachments, beliefs and habits, from which we can't get away. God tells us in these past four verses that He is taking away our free will, but we know that we renounce our freedom as we become attached to haughtiness, greed, envy, lust, indifference and indolence, as well as to depression, isolation and frustration.
“And the Lord said: For as much as this people draw near, and with their mouth and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their reverence of Me is a commandment of men learned by routine. Therefore, behold, I will again do wonders against this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their wise men shall be concealed.” (29:13-14)
God refers to the heart symbolizing Love as our true connection to Him, for words and routine reverence without a heart are meaningless. As we embrace ego's agenda, we renounce our wisdom and understanding. Hence we ourselves conceal the ways and means to return to our Essence and true identity.
“Woe unto them that seek deep to conceal their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in darkness; and they say: 'Who sees us, and who knows of us'? O your perversity! Should the potter be thought to be like clay? That the thing made should say about him who made it, 'He didn't make me'; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, 'He has no understanding'?” (29:15-16)
How can we hide from our Creator and ignore His words that define our Essence and true identity, even if we hide in the darkness of fantasies and illusions? Can we even dare to consider the Creator just as one of us, and despise where we come? Only the egocentric mind can conceive such perversion.
“The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the neediest among men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the ruthless will cease to be, and the scorner will be finished, and all who look for ways to do evil will come to an end.” (29:19-20)
Once again we are reminded that humbleness is the key to return to our Creator. Our return to Him through His ways and attributes is our increased joy. God is our greatest need, and our greatest fulfillment. In the goodness from which He created us there is no ruthlessness, nor scorn, nor evil. Thus we realize that our Final Redemption begins when we embrace only goodness, and enthrone Love's ways and attributes as the rulers and conductors of every facet and dimension of life. God again reiterates His Redemption by making us aware of goodness as the destined purpose of His Creation.
“Therefore thus says the Lord who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. When he sees his children, the work of My hands, in the midst of him sanctifying My Name; yea, they [the nations] shall sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall revere the God of Israel.” (29:22-23)
In these verses Abraham is Israel redeemed, for Abraham, Isaac and Israel are guarantors of their mutual Covenant with God. He reaffirms Israel as the work of His hands, the people who consecrate His Name, that is also His glory, His majesty, and His Love. As we have said frequently, Israel represents all the positive creative potentials in our consciousness that proclaim and consecrate God's ways and attributes. The nations are destined to follow Israel's legacy by also sanctifying and revering the Creator of all. Thus shall they rectify their actions and learn to be part of the Final Redemption.
“They also that err in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmur shall learn instruction.” (29:24)
No comments:
Post a Comment