Dear Friends,

A Universal Message

This month we focus on a universal message that “sounds” through all Creation – all Creation carries and brings it forth. It is a message that when truly understood, becomes our mainstay (foundation) in Life; it is a message of Eternal Light, not dependent upon the number of power stations we have in the world, yet dependent on the one we have within ourselves. All Creation carries the message, embodies the message – brings it forth – whether it is realized by us or not. There have been many purveyors and teachers of the message throughout the ages; most of these we know, particularly from the scriptures and of course many more since.

I recently came across the story of R. Buckminster Fuller stating to his students that Sigmund Freud was the most important figure of the twentieth century. The reason for this, he explained to the students, was that Sigmund Freud had introduced a single great idea upon which all significant developments of the twentieth century had rested: the invisible is more important than the visible. Now this statement is exactly the basis of our Divine Science Teaching, founded over 100 years ago. We acknowledge God being all, both invisible and visible. This Omnipresent God, in, as, and through all Creation; all coming forth from the One Invisible Source.

Whatever tradition or religion we follow there is always the need for faith in the invisible. And the message is always constant, and it does not matter who the teacher or messenger is. Each comes forth from the same originating Source in the universe, and it is through the knowing of this in consciousness that we will experience it in our daily lives. It does mean though that knowing is not enough, we need to follow through and live it. This time of year we have a really good and first hand example, here in our southern hemisphere with the arrival of Spring and the stirring of the life-force within as leaves begin to unfurl on seemingly dead branches.

I came across a book in the public library the other day called, “Run With The Horses” by Eugene H. Peterson. It is basically about the prophet, Jeremiah, and I am going to share some of it with you today as it fits so well with the lesson.

As some of you may know, Jeremiah began as a reluctant prophet, at first refusing God’s request. In the book we read: “A relationship with God is not something added on after we complete our basic growth, it is the essential core of that growth. Take that core out, and there is no humanity at all but only a husk, the appearance but not the substance of the human. Nor can we be human if we are not existing in the present, for the present is where God meets us. No job is more important, for what is more important than a persuasive presentation of the invisible but living reality, God?” Well, important or not, the upshot of it was that Jeremiah refused on the grounds of being too young and unqualified to speak. And Peterson, the author, comments on how often we plead inadequacy in order to avoid living at the best that God calls us to.

So we read that eventually Jeremiah is inspired and equipped to fulfill his role as prophet through two visions.
The first vision was of a rod of almond. Again I quote from the book: “The almond tree is one of the earliest trees to bloom in Palestine. Before it puts forth leaves, it puts forth blossoms, white and snowy. While the land is still chill from winter, the warm blossoms, untended and unforced, surprise us with a promise of spring.”
The second vision was of a boiling pot. Jeremiah saw a boiling pot tipped so that the scalding water was being spilled to the south. It was indicative as to what was taking place during that time – Jeremiah lived during crucial and catastrophic times in Judah and I am not going to go into too much detail here. The author states in the book that we need to know God and the world yet to ignore first impressions which leave us underestimating God, and overestimating what we perceive as evil.

Further on in the book we come across Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles in Babylon where he literally tells the people to quit sitting around feeling sorry for themselves.
I quote: “The exile was the ‘crucible of Israel’s faith.’ They were pushed to the edge of existence where they thought they were hanging on by the skin of their teeth, and they found that in fact they had been pushed to the center, where God was. They experienced not bare survival but abundant life. Now they saw their previous life as subsistence living, a marginal existence absorbed in consumption and fashion, empty ritual and insensitive exploitation. Exile pushed them from the margins of life to the vortex where all the issues of life and death, love and meaning, purpose and value formed the dynamic everyday participation – demanding realities of God’s future with them. It keeps on happening. Exile is the worst that reveals the best. When the superfluous is stripped away we find the essential – and the essential is God.”

Jeremiah carried the message to the people of that time, yet it is the same message today. The message has always been the same. What differs are the circumstances and the era but we are all drawn at some time or another to connect with our Source. That is the only true solution and way to live life. Our problem is, forgetting who we are, and that after all we are one big family; individual expressions come forth from the same Source, needing to honor and respect this truth in and of each other.

The two visions given to Jeremiah:
The almond branch – was a reminder of the continuous Presence of God.
The pot of boiling water – indicated that although there is turmoil in life – God is always the answer – in our turning to God and being present to God we find a way of living life abundantly.

Jeremiah’s message lives on; as does the message of Jesus, and so many others down through the ages.
God first – the invisible Presence manifesting through all Creation; and as we hold to that Truth, it will be made evident in our experience. As we practice being in the Presence, knowing in consciousness who we are in Truth and living that, we, in our own respective ways will become carriers of the Message.

SUNDAY SERVICES: All are welcome to join us each week as we take time to Be Still, in Silent Meditation, and then share a Lesson in Truth Principles. NB. Childcare is available if you phone us on Friday before 10:00am to arrange.

Meditation – 09:30 to 09:45
Service – 09:45 to 10:30

SPEAKERS – September:
06 Rosemary Batchelor
13 Sylvia van Zyl
20 Rosemary Batchelor
27 Rev. Mallory Kretzmann

LIBRARY: Open Tuesday to Friday from 09:00 to 13:00, and on Sundays after Service, signed-up members have the advantage of making use of the library with a vast selection of books. Some folk however have had books out for a while and we would appreciate the prompt return so that others may also enjoy them.

DIVINE SCIENCE BASIC PRINCIPLE – MORNING CLASS: This course of 10 morning sessions begins on Wednesday 07 October. Join Mallory from 10:00am to 12:00 noon each week as we investigate universal spiritual principles that are the essential foundation for a deeper understanding of Life. Those who have already participated in the classes are most welcome to join us as it is always good to return to “Basics” and steep ourselves in Truth. Please see the notice board for all details or call us on 041-5813309 to be included.

In Closing…..

“The aim or purpose of following the spiritual path is not to be able to name God, but to experience God, and then let God be to us whatever it unfolds itself as, because to each of us God will disclose and reveal itself to us in an individual way. The highest prayer, the highest meditation, comes when we have entirely eliminated all preconceived opinions, thoughts, forms, or names for God and have allowed ourselves to become receptive, saying, “Father, reveal thyself.”

Joel Goldsmith – God, The Substance Of All Form

Bountiful blessings,

MALLORY