Day 159

Today's Lesson:

I give the miracles I have received.

No one can give what he has not received To give a thing requires first we have it in our own possession. Here the laws of Heaven and the world agree. But here they also separate. The world believes that to possess a thing, it must be kept. Salvation teaches otherwise. To give is how to recognize we have received. It is the proof that what we have is ours.

We understand that we are healed when we give healing We accept forgiveness as accomplished in ourselves when we forgive. We recognize our brother as ourself, and thus do we perceive that we are whole. There is no miracle we cannot give, for all are given us. Receive them now by opening the storehouse of our minds where they are laid, and giving them away.

Christ's vision is the miracle in which all miracles are born. It is their source, remaining with each miracle we give, and yet remaining ours. It is the bond by which the giver and receiver are united in extension here on earth, as they are one in Heaven. Christ beholds no sin in anyone. And in His sight the sinless are as one. Their holiness was given by His Father and Himself.

Christ's vision is the bridge between the worlds. And in its power can we safely trust to carry us from this world into one made holy by forgiveness. Things which seem quite solid here are merely shadows there; transparent, faintly seen, at times forgot, and never able to obscure the light that shines beyond them. Holiness has been restored to vision, and the blind can see.
This is the Holy Spirit's single gift; the treasure house to which we can appeal with perfect certainty for all the things that can contribute to our happiness All are laid here already. All can be received but for the asking. Here the door is never locked, and no one is denied his least request or his most urgent need. There is no sickness not already healed, no lack unsatisfied, no need unmet within this golden treasury of Christ.

Behold the store of miracles set out for us to give. Are we not worth the gift, when God appointed it be given us? Judge not God's Son, but follow in the way He has established. Christ has dreamed the dream of a forgiven world. It is His gift, whereby a sweet transition can be made from death to life; from hopelessness to hope. Let us an instant dream with Him. His dream awakens us to truth. His vision gives the means for a return to our unlost and everlasting sanctity in God.

Miracles I'm noticing:

I spent a good portion of the evening last night at a Starbucks close to my hotel (not the nicest hotel, but what do you do on the road? :) ) where I experienced a lot of joy. This is a rather small community near Clearwater, Florida, called Palm Harbor and last night everyone seemed to know everyone. I don't normally hang out at coffee shops in the evening, so I didn't really know what went on after I go home (I'm usually in coffee shops during the day). It was like being at a bar where people hang out, except no one was drunk, the music was at a very pleasant level (and this Starbucks music is fabulous - right now I think it's the Doors playing ....).

Everyone who came in was joyful and pleasant and I had a great time catching up on emails and other work while feeling like a part of the community. I experienced firsthand, without anyone realizing I was observing, the power of BEING and what a positive effect that has on everyone in the vicinity.

This morning at the same coffee shop, the feeling is similar, but not the same. The person who took my order wasn't quite as pleasant - maybe because it's a lot busier here this morning than it was last night. But the people who are in the shop still seem to know each other and are patiently waiting for their drinks. I'm having a great time just observing the effects of giving the miracles we have received.

I'm not sure how many people are actually aware of today's lesson - and I'm thinking about the distinction if we all were. If it's this powerfully energetic without the knowledge, what would it be like with that knowledge? But as I typed that, I realized that there really isn't an "us and them" - they're all merely reflections of me to me. As I notice the miracles, they become very obvious to me. I really can affect the entire room with my awareness.

I'm reminded of the movie "The Peaceful Warrior" where Nick Nolte's character Socrates takes Daniel outside and has him look around and tell him what's happening. Daniel looks quickly around the campus and says, "Nothing's happening." Socrates has Dan look more closely and tells him "There is never nothing happening." As Dan looks around again, he notices thousands of details that had always passed him by because he wasn't awake to seeing them.

That is how we can continue to see miracles right in front of our eyes every single day.

Just notice one miracle in your life today and write to us about it. I'm betting you'll see dozens and dozens.

Today's lesson reminds us that we can't give away what we don't have. But when we really think about it, there's pretty much nothing we can't give away ... so we have so much more than we realize. As we give, we really don't lose that which we give. Take a smile, for example. If you give away a smile, you receive smiles back tenfold. Try it today. Give away a smile. You can't give it if you don't already have it. And it will amaze you how many you get back.

That's as complicated as miracles are. And there are MILLIONS of them all around. Just notice!