LESSON ONE:

SLAVERY OR FREEDOM WHICH? 

As you begin this course, please put aside all your previous ideas, beliefs or notions.  By “suspending disbelief” you’ll find it easier to take in what is being offered you won’t be, as Luke said, putting “new wine into old wineskins” (Luke 5:37).*  If you find, as we go along, something you don’t understand or agree with, just let it go until you’ve finished the entire course. Many things that disturb you at first will be made clear later on.  Of course, after you’ve finished, you’re free to return to your old ways of living and believing.  But for the time being, remember what the Master Jesus said: “except ye . . . become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:3).  Also, when you find things repeated, please remember that these are lessons, not lectures.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things.  (Phil. 4:8)

Of Human Bondage

Each and every one of us believes that we are ruled by our bodies and the material world around us and all our suffering is the result of this belief.  If we look at the Old Testament, though, we can read in the story of Israel coming out of Egypt the story of human consciousness growing up out of bondage in the physical, and on into the spiritual.

And Jehovah said (speaking to Moses) I have surely seen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cries by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large land, unto a land flowing with milk and honey (Exod. 3:7,8).

These words express exactly how the Creator feels toward mankind, today.

Today, and everyday, God has been saying to us, His (Her) children:  “I have surely seen the affliction of you who are in Egypt [the darkness of ignorance], and have heard your cry by reason of your taskmasters [sickness, sorrow, and poverty]; and I am [not I will, but I am now] come down to deliver you out of all this suffering, and to bring you up out of that land unto a good land and a large land, unto a land flowing with milk and honey [a life of joy and comfort].”

Coming into Freedom

Sometime, somewhere, every one of us must come to our true Self.  Like the Prodigal Son, having tired of eating cornhusks, each of us will “arise and go to my Father” (Luke 15:18).  And we will do so in all humility and praise, as it is written, “Saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God” (Rom (14:11).

This doesn’t mean that God is a stern autocrat who compels us to bow to Him.  Rather, it’s a description of the order, the law, of the universe: the law of all love, all good.  Humanity, at first living in our physical, selfish, animal nature, will grow up, stage by stage, to the spiritual understanding that we are one with the creative force of the universe. 

At that point we are free of all suffering, because we realize that we have conscious dominion over all things. And somewhere on this journey, our consciousness comes to a place where our hearts are full of joy and wonder.  Then, gladly, we bow before the greatness of the Spirit working through us and around us.  From that point on, with joyful freedom, our hearts cry out “Alleluia” and  “Jehovah reigneth” (Psal 93:1).  Everyone must sooner or later come to this experience.

You and I, dear Reader, have begun to wake up.  We have become aware of the bondage of our past ignorance and have set out from “Egypt” to the land of our liberty and now we couldn’t turn back if we wanted to.  Yes, there may be times on our journey when we come into a deep wilderness or against a Red Sea, and our courage may fail us. Yet, as Moses said to the trembling Israelites, “Fear ye not; stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for you today” (Exod. 14:13).

An Inside Job

Each of us must sooner or later stand alone with our god; nothing else works. Nothing else will ever make you master of your own destiny. Your own indwelling Spirit provides all the life and health, all the strength and peace and joy, all the wisdom and support that you can ever need or desire.  No one can give to you as can this indwelling Presence.  It is the spring of all joy and comfort and power.

We’ve believed we were helped and comforted by others, that we received our joy from circumstances outside of us, but that’s not so.  All joy and strength and good come from inside, and if we only knew this truth, we would know that nothing outside of us can take away our joy or our good.

Heirs to the Kingdom

Most of us have believed ourselves to be slaves (or victims) of circumstances.  Some have said that, at best, we are servants of the Most High.  Neither belief is true. 

It’s time for us to wake up fully, to know that we are not slaves, not servants, but sons and daughters; “and if children, then heirs” (Rom 8:17).  Heirs to what? Heirs to all wisdom, so we need never make mistakes; heirs to all love, so we need never feel fear, envy, or jealousy; heirs to all strength, all power, all life, all good.

We’re so used to the sound of the words we heard in childhood that we often forget to look for the meaning in them.  Have you ever considered what it means to be “heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ” (Rom 8:17)?  It means, as Emerson said, that “every[one] is the inlet, and may become the outlet, for all that is in God." It means that all that God is and has is truly ours, the rightful heirs, if we can only claim our inheritance.

So in this course, we will be learning how to claim the inheritance that God wants us to have in our daily life.

Paul said,

So long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all; but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.  So we also, when we were children [in understanding] were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world: but when the fullness of the time came, . . . And because ye are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying Abba, Father.  So that thou art no longer a bondservant but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God” (Gal 4:1-7).

The “Spirit of his Son” is the risen Christ that dwells in each of us. And it is through that indwelling Christ that we are to receive all that God has and is as much or little as we can (or dare to!) claim.

No matter what you thought started you on this journey, it was really because it was God’s “fullness of time” (Gal 4:4) for you to claim your inheritance.  You could no longer be satisfied with, or in slavery to, the material world.  God’s “fullness of time” for you is now.  It’s time for you to be free, to have dominion over the material world, to be no longer a servant, but a first-born, in full possession of your inheritance!

The Inner Life

Yet even as we take in that wonderful truth, we realize that we’re no longer to be looking for rewards, or for a belief to follow.  We’re not on this journey to get something, or to follow someone, but to find a new way to live life.  And in the course of these Lessons, we’ll take the first steps toward a new life of freedom, perfect love, and all good.

As we begin the walk, we discover that every right thought we think, every unselfish word or action, must by unchanging laws lead to good results for us.  But on our way, we must learn not to focus on these results.  Instead, we must learn to be the Truth, consciously.  We must learn to be, consciously the love, the wisdom, the life that we always truly are, though unconsciously and let the results take care of themselves.

We bring these qualities to our consciousness by taking daily time alone, focusing on the divine Presence within us.  In daily meditation lies the secret of power.  No one can grow in spiritual knowledge or power without it.  No one would ever dream of becoming, say, a master musician without daily practice! You need to practice the presence of God just as you would practice music.

You may be so busy working and even helping others that it seems there’s no time to go off by yourself.  But the invitation is clear: “Come ye yourselves apart . . . and rest a while” (Mark 6:31).  And that’s the only way to gain the definite knowledge, true wisdom, steady purpose, or the power to meet the unknowns of daily life, that sets us free. 

The thing to remember is that doing is secondary to being: when we are consciously the Truth, it radiates from us and does the works without our running around looking busy.  So if you have no time for this quiet meditation, make time; take time.  If you look carefully, you’ll find some things better left undone.  You may spend time chatting with friends or neighbors that, rather than diffusing your energy, could be spent “refueling” in the silence.  Even some unselfish act may not be so important that you should neglect your regular, daily meditation.

And when you do withdraw from the world into the silence, don’t think about yourself or your failures, but focus on God.  Let all your thoughts center on your relation to the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.  Let all the old fears and trouble go for awhile; work at turning your thoughts away from them to some line from a hymn, a Psalm, or statement of Truth.

Unless you’ve tried it, you’ll never know how this simple practice quiets the nerves, reduces fears, and dissolves the stresses of the day into nothing.  So never let your minutes or hours apart be a time of effort or concern, but always a time of peace: just calm, quiet waiting alone with the Presence within. 

Once you’ve tried it, you may be tempted to make the mistake of withdrawing from the world, and spending all your time in meditation.  This is asceticism, and is rarely wise or profitable.  Jesus, our Way-shower, helps us to see this: each day he went off by himself, and each day he returned to share, renewed in Spirit and in power.  In the same way we, too, go into the stillness each day, so we can come back into everyday life with new inspiration and new courage and power.

And don’t let concerns about others stop you. Wherever anyone practices this daily presence of God, peace and harmony flow through to fill the surroundings.  We go apart to get still, to receive new life, new inspiration, new power, new supply from the overflowing fountain within, and then we return to the world around us to share that life and power in love. When we do this, peace and harmony result in our home and workplace in all the world around us, wherever we are.

Being Peace

Yet in our newfound clarity and power it’s important, again, to remember Jesus, and live in the understanding that “Thy gentleness hath made me great” (II Sam. 22:36).  No one is so grand, so godlike, as one who, knowing the Truth of Being, can stand meekly* and unperturbed before the false accusations of the human mind.  As Jesus stood meekly, saying nothing, before the false accusations of Pilate, we need to live that quality of love and acceptance in our daily life.

We must also forgive as we would be forgiven.  To forgive doesn’t mean simply being indifferent to those who injure us; to forgive is to give for to give some actual, definite good in return for the distress incurred. Like most people, you may think “I’ve got no one to forgive!” Yet if we consider all the people we feel negatively toward, or that we think “served him right,” then we find we have much to forgive.  Any pain that you suffer, any failure of some expected good, may be the result of a spirit of unforgiveness you’re holding toward someone in particular or the world in general.

We must let go of past beliefs about our circumstances or environment.  No matter how evil circumstances may appear, or how much it may seem that someone else is the cause of your sorrow or trouble, God, good and good alone is really there, when you call the Law into expression.  Joseph, speaking of his brothers’ selling him into slavery, said “As for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20).  If we have the courage to see only God in it all, even “the wrath of man” (Psalms 76:10) is turned to our advantage.  Situations that seemed heartbreaking turn to joy before our very eyes, if we steadfastly refuse to see anything but God in them.

Finally, while it is perfectly natural for the human mind to seek to escape from its troubles by running away from a situation or planning to make some physical change, such methods of escape are foolish.  There is no real or permanent physical way to escape from circumstances or feelings; all our help must come from within.  The real inner consciousness that “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”* will supply all needs more surely (and more liberally!) than any human hand.  The felt understanding that “God is my defense and deliverance,” achieved by holding the words in the silence until they become part of our inner being, will free anyone from the arguments of the smartest lawyer in the world.

Following the Way

Our ultimate goal must be to come into full awareness of the indwelling God, and then, in all circumstances, to affirm our support and deliverance through and by this One.  We don’t need to run around, helping the Divine, but simply to hold a calm, restful, unwavering trust that the All-Wisdom and All-Power within us is able to bring about whatever is needed. When that victory is won in the silence of our own being then we need do nothing outwardly to relieve any situation.  The Psalmist said:

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