Joy of the Lord!
Joy of the Lord!
The experience of overwhelming sustained joy which far surpasses all human understanding is ours if we decide we really, really want it. As Christians, we call it the "joy of the Lord" and sometimes describe it as life enraptured, carried away, ecstatic, exalted, jubilant ... even while going about everyday business. But one does not need to be a Christian to choose this happy state of being. To experience one's true spiritual nature and one's inheritance of indescribably blissful joy one needs only abandon the illusion of human limitation.
Unless you are living in constant awareness of your holy spirit you may have at some time in your life felt identified with the lyrics of Tennessee Ernie Ford's soulful song lamenting the human condition:
"Some people say a man is made outta mud,
The song goes on to paint the human condition as dismal, bleak, and hopeless.
"You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
Even for human beings living a fairly happy dream, enjoying money, romance, fame ... whatever is their ego's revered vested interest ... even these dear ones suffer frustration, sickness, loss, and any number of painful emotional "tough times" to balance out their seeming "highs."
The human condition when all is said and done is not fun.
Thank God we are not really human, wouldn't you say?
"The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
"Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
"If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken...." (John 10:33-35)
Jesus has always tried to tell us we are far more than human. But addicted to our illusion of "humanness," we've only had ears to hear the parts of his teaching the ego has been willing to hear, wouldn't you admit?
Even in our modern language, Jesus speaks to us:
"The concept of yourself which now you hold would guarantee your function here remain forever unaccomplished and undone. And thus it dooms you to a bitter sense of deep depression and futility. This concept of the self is made by you. It bears no likeness to yourself at all. It is an idol, made to take the place of your reality as Son of God." ( I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS )
Please read the beautiful message of I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS . It is excerpted from the Bible and from A Course in Miracles, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ revealed to us once again for 21st century minds.
Jesus asks us to be open-minded, to be open to finding out who we really are, to be even just a little willing to experience our true nature beyond the illusion of "humanness." And he guarantees us of success with him as our guide. He assures us he is with us always, speaking to us always, caring for us always, protecting us always, providing our every true need. We need only let go and feel the joy of the Lord.
The joy of the Lord is OUR joy, Jesus explains in his course. OUR spirit is the spirit of God, of Jesus, and must be considered holy. Our spirit gives joy and leads us to joy. The ego, on the other hand; the false self-identity we have assumed in our world, is very afraid of the unceasing joy we really are.
"The ego is afraid of the Soul's joy, because once you have experienced this, you will withdraw all protection from your ego and become totally without investment in fear." (ACIM Chapter 4, unedited version)
"The Holy Spirit will always guide you truly, because your joy IS His. This is His will for everyone, because He speaks for the Kingdom of God which IS joy." (ACIM Chapter 7, unedited version)
Oh, but our world tells us we dare not experience joy every moment. What if someone gets sick or dies? Are we to exhibit joyousness? What if our task is to put a stop to evil-doers? Are we to act joyfully?
Do you see the trap the ego has created? We tell ourselves it is not right to feel joy when somebody is sick, or hurt, or suffering loss ... denying our inner knowledge that radiating joy would exert a healing influence. We have taught ourselves to cry at funerals rather than rejoice, ignoring the fact that there really is no death and the "departed one" is begging us to join in happiness. We tell ourselves that nobody could joyously fight in a war or joyfully kill murderous criminals, because either occupation could involve human pain and we are, after all, only human.
We have created a set of operating beliefs which have nothing to do with the guidance of our spirit, everything to do with the urgings of ego, and therefore no connection with our true joy. We might as well say we are lucky if we feel joy. How often do we listen to our spirit and allow our deep honest joy to overwhelmingly come forth? Only 20 or 30 percent of the time ... if we are lucky?
Jesus wants nothing less from us than 100% ... full endeavor. In his Course, he teaches us to pray as follows:
"Father, I wandered from Your Will, defied It, broke Its laws, and interposed a second will more powerful than Yours. Yet what I am in truth is but Your Will, extended and extending. This am I. And this will never change. As You are One, so am I one with You. And This I chose in my creation, where my will became forever one with Yours. That choice was made for all eternity. It cannot change, and be in opposition to Itself. Father, my will is Yours. And I am safe, untroubled and serene, in endless joy, because it is Your Will that it be so.” (ACIM Lesson 329)
What would happen if we prayed this prayer with all our heart and soul sixteen times a day until our underlying endless joy became for us not so underlying but an obvious ever-present experience?
What would be the result if we closed our eyes sixteen times a day and asked inside for as long as it takes to feel an answer: “Joy … are you there? I want to feel you. Are you there?”
Has the time come to accept the gospel of Jesus in its fullness?
In his revelation for the 21st century, A Course in Miracles, Jesus describes those who have chosen fullness:
"Their world reflects the quietness and peace that shines in them; the gentleness and innocence they see surrounding them; the joy with which they look out from the endless wells of joy within. What they have felt in them they look upon, and see its sure reflection everywhere." (ACIM Lesson 189)
Now we can see the subtle hidden meaning in the words from Nehemiah: "....for the joy of the Lord IS your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)
Finally we are ready to relax and let life be really fun, maybe even re-writing the lyrics of Tennessee Ernie's song to reflect not some illusory human condition, but our true state of being:
A poor man's made outta muscle and blood,
Muscle and blood and skin and bones,
A mind that's a-weak and a back that's strong."
Another day older and deeper in debt."
I pray sixteen prayers and what do I find?
A life everlasting in a bright joyous mind!
Sweet Jesus, you have called me and I've found my home!
I owe my soul to your Miracles Course!"
Thank you, Jesus Christ, for giving our world A Course in Miracles!
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