There is a light in you the world can not
perceive. And with its eyes you will not see
this light, for you are blinded by the world.
Yet you have eyes to see it. It is there
for you to look upon. It was not placed
in you to be kept hidden from your sight.
This light is the reflection of the thought
we practice now. To feel the love of God
within you is to see the world in light,
shining in innocence, alive with hope,
and blessed with perfect charity and love.
Who could feel fear in such a world as this?
It welcomes you, rejoices that you came,
and sings your praises as it keeps you safe
from every form of danger and of pain.
It offers you a warm and gentle home
in which to stay a while. It blesses you
throughout the day, and watches through the night
as silent guardian of your holy sleep.
It sees salvation in you, and protects
the light in you in which it sees its own.
It offers you its flowers and its snow
in thankfulness for your benevolence.
This is the world the love of God reveals.
It is so different from the world you see
through darkened eyes of malice and of fear,
that one belies the other. Only one
can be perceived at all. The other one
is wholly meaningless. A world in which
forgiveness shines on everything and peace
offers its gentle light to everyone
is inconceivable to those who see
a world of hatred rising from attack,
poised to avenge, to murder and destroy.
Yet is the world of hatred equally
unseen and inconceivable to those
who feel God's love in them. 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.
What would you see? The choice is given you.
But learn and do not let your mind forget
this law of seeing: You will look upon
that which you feel within. If hatred finds
a place within your heart you will perceive
a fearful world, held cruelly in death's
sharp-pointed, bony fingers. If you feel
the love of God within you, you look out
upon a world of mercy and of love.
Today we pass illusions as we seek
to reach to what is true in us, and feel
Its all-embracing tenderness, Its Love
Which knows us perfect as Itself, Its sight
which is the gift Its Love bestows on us.
We learn the way today. It is as sure
as Love Itself, to Which it carries us.
For its simplicity avoids the snares
the foolish convolutions of the world's
apparent reasoning but serve to hide.
Simply do this: be still and lay aside
all thoughts of what you are and what God is;
all concepts you have learned about the world;
all images you hold about yourself.
Empty your mind of everything it thinks
is either true or false or good or bad;
of every thought it judges worthy and
all the ideas of which it is ashamed.
Hold on to nothing. Do not bring with you
one thought the past has taught, nor one belief
you ever learned before from anything.
Forget this world, forget this course, and come
with wholly empty hands unto your God.
Is it not He Who knows the way to you?
You need not know the way to Him. Your part
is simply to allow all obstacles
that you have interposed between the Son
and God the Father to be quietly
removed forever. God will do His part
in joyful and immediate response.
Ask and receive. But do not make demands,
nor point the road to God by which He should
appear to you. The way to reach Him is
merely to let Him be. For in that way
is your reality acclaimed as well.
And so today we do not choose the way
in which we go to Him. But we do choose
to let Him come. And with this choice we rest.
And in our quiet hearts and open minds
His Love will blaze Its pathway of Itself.
What has not been denied is surely there
if it be true, and can be surely reached.
God knows His Son, and knows the way to him.
He does not need His Son to show Him how
to find His way. Through every opened door
His Love shines outward from Its home within,
and lightens up the world in innocence.
"Father, we do not know the way to You.
But we have called and You will answer us.
We will not interfere. Salvation's ways
are not our own for they belong to You.
And it is unto You we look for them.
Our hands are open to receive Your gifts.
We have no thoughts we think apart from You,
and cherish no beliefs of what we are
or Who created us. Yours is the way
that we would find and follow. And we ask
but that Your Will, Which is our own as well,
be done in us and in the world, that it
becomes a part of Heaven now. Amen."
~Original Handscript July 9, 1970