“I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” John 13:13-14
“If you want something, release the wish, and let it light on its desire, completely free of the personal.” Rumi, 13th Century Sufi Mystic
People are all about seeking power. We look for it in money, status, prestige, knowledge, and outer appearances. There’s nothing wrong with power. We need it. The problem is that we don’t understand what it is. We think power is our ability to climb up higher than the next fellow. It isn’t. Power is the ability to create good. We only get it from deep authenticity. Pretense can’t cut it. The Michael Apted movie Thunderheart is the story of a young man estranged from himself–from his spiritual roots. As a wise friend tells him, “You are as far from yourself as a hawk is from the moon.” Circumstances converge to push him to open his heart and value his soul. The pain that drove him away from himself early in his life speaks. For the first time he listens rather than running. Finally, he is freed to claim the self he had deserted. And that’s when he has the power to take an amazing stand for himself and for his community. He stands in Truth and a much-needed transformation occurs. He has become of true service. Now he walks in power.
Unity’s approach to expressing power is Truth thinking. We grow from focusing our aims on outer circumstances to centering our lives in the Christ within. In this lifelong journey we learn to ground ourselves in spiritual understanding. We move from being tossed about by the waves of day-to-day happenings to being anchored in the Truth of absolute Good. This is what Jesus means when he tells us that when we ask for anything in his name, that prayer will be fulfilled. He’s not talking about making your Sears Roebuck catalog wish list (those of you of a certain age will know what I mean by that one! LOL) and waiting for him to deliver the packages.
He means that when you align with spiritual reality – the values of love, abundance, wholeness – you will find those expressing in your life. So, he’s being kind of tricky in a wonderful way. Jesus is telling us that if we want to have a life that we enjoy, one that engages us in creativity and light, we are going to have to grow into the realization of our spiritual identity. Ya gotta love that guy! He’s always up to something! Rumi is telling us the same thing. Rumi, says let go of your worry and need, and let your uplifted desire light beautifully in God. Truth thinking – it’s where the power is!
In the Love and Light of the Christ,
Rev. Anna
