You Are Divine

We are continuing with our series on The Five Principles by Rev. Ellen Debenport.  These are the main tenants of our Unity Teachings.  

Principle One states that God is the Source of all that is, and the nature of God is Good. 
This means that all of the natural world, including humanity derives its essence from the One Source, God, by whatever name you may choose to call It. The nature of that Source is good.  

We use the word good in so many ways. Ice cream is good. We wish each other a good day. "Good" is the common response when asked how we are. When it comes to describing the nature of the Source of all that is, words are limiting. I have come to understand God as good to mean life giving and affirming, the creative intelligence that continually harmonizes all of life toward greater wholeness. The point is that this Source is not withholding, punishing or punitive. We may be, but God is not.  

This is really the foundation of all that we teach and believe. As we expand our understanding of God from a man in the sky to the life giving, creative intelligence behind all that exists, we are compelled to consider what that means about us. We are not separate from that creative life force, but a natural extension of it. Principle Two states that we too are an expression of that creative intelligence and as such, our essence is good, for it is of God.   

 
We are imbued with that creative power as part of our spiritual nature. It is important to realize that how we use that power is up to us. We can use it in service of the insecurities and fears that stem from the limitations of our ego nature. Or, we can first align our hearts and minds with Divine Mind which always calls us to center our thoughts and actions in love. From there, we can act with greater love and wisdom which is an expression of Oneness.

 

This was the consistent model set forth by Jesus. His message was one of love and inclusivity because it was based on the wisdom of Oneness. He and we are one with God, and with all of creation. Jesus never condemned the poor, the sick, or any of those who had been cast out by the religious or political elite. There was no ‘other’ in his teaching.  Instead, he called out those institutions and practices that violated the truth of Oneness by casting anyone into the role of 'other'. He questioned those who were using their power in support of those institutions despite their religious beliefs and notions of piety.  

In Unity, we often speak of our true essence as The Christ within. It is this Christ consciousness that Jesus so fully embodied and sought to teach us to know for ourselves- as our True Self. 

Rather than worship Jesus, we are encouraged to follow his lead. His life is an example of how to live our human lives from the centered awareness of our Oneness with God, with the life -affirming creative Source of all that is.  Living in this awareness brings an expansion of ideas and possibilities for our own life and our collective, shared life.  

Spend some time reflecting on how you might live more fully from the awareness that you are an expression of the Divine Source. Center in your heart and open your mind to receive all of the love and wisdom that you can imagine that Source to be. Rest in the knowing that despite any circumstance, you are always One with that Source.  

Join us at 10AM on Sunday as we continue this exploration.