My cat gives me that look. I’ve seen it many times, but I’m not sure what it means. His eyes are as wide open as they can get and his pupils are completely dilated. We call them saucer eyes. They stare at me - big and black - emotionless. Saucer eyes mean either he is scared of me or he is pumped up for play. Since I just walked into the room and he wasn’t already in play mode, I assume it must be fear that is provoking that look. Now what did I do to scare him? Who knows? I must be a scary person. See the problem here is a basic lack of understanding. I don’t know why he is looking at me with those saucer eyes and he doesn’t know that I mean him no harm. Poor cat - how little we connect. He knows I’m here – he knows I exist. But his ability to comprehend my presence is so limited. I think that when I leave the room he ceases to be aware of my existence. Animals lack our abilities to think and reason. They are far from us. In the same way we struggle to understand God. We are challenged to experience God, even though God’s presence is all around us.
I think we all believe that God is present with us. It is therefore no surprise that the Urantia Book says that God’s presence is everywhere (44.4). Spiritual people believe this statement – but what does it mean? If we confess that God is present in a very real way, how do we understand that? The Urantia Book says that God is a spiritual presence (25.1). God is real but not seen by mortals. We must therefore experience God in a way that is different from how we experience the world around us. There are several ways that God has provided for his/her presence to be known. The Paradise Sons of God, the Infinite Spirit and God’s presence inside of us – the Mystery Monitor (34.7) are ways through which God overcomes the vast distance between us. The Thought Adjuster is the most mysterious. Through this Father fragment God dwells directly with you and me (25.6). But there is no way to prove this to a skeptic. Proof is only provided through actual experience (24.4). God is abundantly present – but not in any way that could be verified through material processes.
Ok so God’s presence is around us. So what! God’s presence was all around Hitler – and that didn’t stop him from doing what he did. Obviously there is more to experiencing God’s wonderful presence. It is our desire and our spiritual advancement that determine just how much we can experience God’s presence. “God manifests himself to every creature up to the fullness of that creature to grasp the qualities of divine truth, beauty, and goodness (27.1).” God reveals himself up to the ability of us to comprehend him (27.2). The Mystery Monitor – the one so effectively who brings God’s presence into our own – is entirely dependent upon our cooperation (46.3). In other words anyone can say no thanks. Everyone has equal access to God and anyone can walk away from the offer of experiencing God’s presence, and many do. In the end the level at which we experience God is displayed in how we live (64.8). Those of us who experience the spiritual presence live the spiritual life.
The nice thing to know is that even if we are not living the kind of life we should be living - with God we can be more than we are. The Ubook tells us to approach God through love which transcends our limitations (50.6). It is through our desire that we can strive for the infinite. If we desire God nothing can stop us from his/her presence (63.6). And ultimately if we seek God we will not fail to know God and to experience God’s loving presence in our lives (64.4).
Now my cat is sitting on my lap – as if the whole scared thing never happened. Such is the way of the feline world. They are not as complex as we are. Are we so distant from God’s presence that we are comparable to the relationship between pet and pet owner? I don’t think so. I think that our relationship with God allows us to be more than this. Humanity can strive to be like God, to seek after God and to find God. We can truly experience God’s presence. It is our desire which allows us to become more than we are. And because of God’s love the vast distance will be made small and we will be lifted up into the Divine Presence.
God Bless You,
William Whitehead
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