Lesson: Week 18
by Tom Baker
Lesson 65: My only function is the one God gave me.
This lesson begins a form of practicing that sets aside 10 to 15 minutes each day dedicated to the lesson. Our minds at this point are more ready to challenge all the ego goals that lead nowhere. As we bring up the false goals and let them pass by and out of our cultivation we begin to save hundreds of years and perhaps the need to live several lifetimes. This is especially true with self-centered goals such as being famous or being rich or even saving lives. The central goal of all lifetimes is salvation or forgiveness or put another way to save my brothers and sisters and self from hatred and bitterness, grudges and grievances. This is done day by day and over a lifetime of day by day. This lesson is especially challenging because it seems to take away our own goal (given to us by the ego) to give us God’s.
Lesson 66: My happiness and my function are one.
The ego has conditioned our minds to think of anything from God as bringing us unhappiness. The Course, however, is a prolonged workshop in healing our polarized relationship with God. We are learning that the will of God and the ways of God (or of Love) are the only happy will and way. In other words, Divine Love is our happiness, not special love or special hate. Special love leads to a yearning that is not resolvable and special hate leads to conflict that has no end. Has the ego brought you lasting happiness? Has the ego brought you peace?
Lesson 67: Love created me like itself.
This lesson is the secret to self worth. Although we want people to love us just as we are, we are hesitant to love the self we are just as it is. The Course here is "trying today to undo your definition of God and replace it with His Own [holiness, kindness, helpfulness, and perfection]. We are also trying to emphasize that you are part of His definition of Himself." Because of our preoccupation with false self images it would be good to repeat the idea for today as often as we can. Then we might be able to go beyond words and enter into an "interval of thoughtlessness to the awareness of a blazing light in which you recognize yourself as love created you." Note: our worthiness cannot be earned or proved or be completed by self esteem.
Lesson 68: Love holds no grievances.
Since love created us like itself and love holds no grievances then we cannot know ourselves and hold grievances at the same time. If we hold grievances we will also see God as holding them "for no one can conceive of his Creator as unlike himself." When we hold grievances the real self seems to go to sleep and the ego rules the consciousness.
© Copyright Tom Baker 2014