How I Used Truth - Lesson 6 - Annotation 10
What blessings come to us when we consciously serve as "the hand of God"?
10. Blessings of every kind, in mind, body, and affairs, come to us when we consciously serve as the "hand of God." The very act of giving opens our mind to the Truth of all life. The mind is thus released from pressures that otherwise would block the inflow of God's blessings.
The law of life is that whatever we hold in our own consciousness will manifest in our human experience. Knowing our hands to be the "hand of God" we hold in consciousness all of the ideas of God, such as life, intelligence, love, faith, understanding, wisdom, and so forth. Like seeds that produce after their own kind, the qualities (ideas) of God that we seek to give forth to others unfold in our own life, bringing their blessings of health, vitality, wholeness, and strength. These same rich ideas fill our mind so that we are wiser, more efficient and positive. Our heart is blessed with the love that expresses as compassion and understanding. Serving consciously as the "hand of God," we share divine substance with others, and such giving causes our affairs to show forth more prosperity, success and harmony.
However, we cannot serve as the "hand of God" and distribute God's bounty until we ourselves have been consciously filled or blessed. This is why our prayer periods -- those precious times of communion with God -- are so vital. It is during our times of prayer (silence) that we receive the infilling of God's blessings, so that we in turn are able to give and thus be a blessing to others.
"I will bless thee . . . and be thou a blessing" (Gen. 12:2).
No heart filled with love for God and love for man could fail to want to give the blessing of peace to others, no matter what their race, color, creed, or circumstances may be. There will be no condemnation in our heart for what others may or may not be doing, only a deep compassion. The result will be happier relationships with our fellow men. This in itself is a blessing that can be the seed of individual peace, as well as of world peace. Faith in the God spirit in others, faith in God's plan of peace, brings the blessing of peace to our own heart. Then we can face life with courage, enthusiasm, and assurance of the triumph of goodness. It is our privilege to "give" the word of peace to all the world; it is our privilege to bless the leaders of every nation.
More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
--Tennyson
We are never "empty-handed" for as we have learned we are heirs to God's riches in the form of divine ideas. We may claim good for ourselves and symbolically "hand" it to others, as the blessings of health, plenty, peace, harmony -- whatever the need may be.
"The function of your hands, God's hands, is to bring heaven to earth and to lift earth to heaven. God bless your precious hands!" (You Can Be Healed 132).
As this lesson has already brought out, when love fills our heart, our giving becomes the natural outflow of that love. It is not that we seek to give only in order to receive blessings for ourselves. We give because we have yielded ourselves to the great Giver of all good. The chapter covering this lesson closes with these inspiring words:
"We shall simply know that all things are ours now, and out of the fullness of love we shall give freely. God's hand is sure. Your hand is God's hand now, today. It is full now. Give out of it mentally to all who call on you, whatever they need. 'Trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass.'"
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Preceding Entry: Of what is "giving" the natural outflow?
Following Entry: What is "negation" as used in this lesson?
