February 24, 2018

Day 14 - A Course in Miracles

Day 14 - A Course in Miracles

ACIM Workbook Lesson 14 Insights

“God did not create a meaningless world.”

With this lesson Jesus is bringing us an important step in our process of returning to Love. Love, our Source, is changeless. Love is eternal. Love is formless. Love is everywhere. Love is all. Therefore, what is not Love is an illusion. It is not real. Image making, or projecting thoughts that are unreal, different from Love, can never really replace Love even though it appears to do so for a while.


Part of the waking up process is to clearly recognize that making up images of a world of separation is not real. Separation is not of Love. Separation is the opposite of Love. Separation is not a sin because in truth it never happened. It could never be real. Separate bodies could never be real. Private minds could never be real. This world that appears so real to us is not real. Thank goodness we could never make separation real. Thank goodness we are still Love. Thank goodness we are still as God created us and dreams of separation mean nothing.

I need to apply this lesson constantly in my life. I need to remember that only Love is real. I need to be willing to let my mind be healed today. It is worth the diligence. It is worth the practice. Heaven is my true inheritance. This substitute is not my home. Returning to my true Home requires that I forgive, or let go of what is not true and could never be real.

The idea and exercise for today can bring up a variety of emotions. For some it might be a relief to know that God is not the cause of the death, destruction and injustices we perceive in the world, because then we do not need to fear God. For others it may be a shock and raise more questions. If God did not create this world, who did? Who is responsible for all the disasters and pain and suffering in this world? The hidden meaning behind “responsible” is blame. The ego is always looking for something or someone to blame, to project guilt onto. The shock comes because this idea challenges what we have been taught to believe.

Others may experience dismay because this idea undermines the sense of identity that comes from believing we understand or at least partially understand what the world means and how it came to be. It can lead to questions like, If God did not create this world, why am I here? Am I meaningless? These questions also stem from the ego, trying to establish an identity in images that are not real.

Some of us may experience all of these emotions and more when we face the idea that God did not create a meaningless world and so it is not real. Yet this idea helps us open our minds to new meaning, to the recognition of God as Love and nothing else. It also prepares the way for us to recognize ourselves as Love and nothing else, for we were created by Love. At this point it is not necessary that we recognize the full import of this statement. That will dawn upon us as our minds are open to the loving instruction of our inner Teacher. At this time we need only practice the exercise, trusting that it will do its part in opening our minds to the recognition of our Self as God created It.

Holy Spirit, wash me clean of sin and doubt. Allow Thy Love to fill my mind and heart. I allow the Love of my Beingness to extend to the meaningless world I made in separation.


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Urtext – Use of Terms

3. FORGIVENESS – THE FACE OF CHRIST

Forgiveness is for God and toward God but not of Him. It is impossible to think of anything He created that could need forgiveness. Forgiveness, then, is an illusion, but because of its purpose, which is the Holy Spirit’s, it has one difference. Unlike all other illusions, it leads away from error and not toward it.

Forgiveness might be called a kind of happy fiction; a way in which the unknowing can bridge the gap between their perception and the truth. They cannot go directly from perception to knowledge because they do not think it is their will to do so. This makes God appear to be an enemy instead of what He really is. And it is just this insane perception that makes them unwilling merely to rise up and to return to Him in peace.

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Urtext – Workbook for Students

14. “God did not create a meaningless world.” 

The idea for today is, of course, the reason why a meaningless world is impossible. What God did not create does not exist. And everything that does exist exists as He created it. The world you see has nothing to do with reality. It is of your own making, and it does not exist. The exercises for today are to be practiced with eyes closed throughout. The mind searching period should be short, a minute at most. Do not have more than three practice periods with today’s idea unless you find them comfortable. If you do, it will be because you really understand what they are for.

The idea for today is another step in learning to let go the thoughts which you have written on the world, and see the Word of God in their place. The early steps in this exchange, which can truly be called salvation, can be quite difficult and even quite painful. Some of them will lead you directly into fear. You will not be left there. You will go far beyond it. Our direction is toward perfect safety and perfect peace.

 With eyes closed, think of all the horrors in the world that cross your mind. Name each one as it occurs to you, and then deny its reality. God did not create it, and so it is not real. Say, for example: 

“God did not create that war, and so it is not real.”
 “God did not create that airplane crash, and so it is not real.”
 “God did not create that disaster [specify], and so it is not real.” 

Suitable subjects for the application of today’s idea also include anything you are afraid might happen to you, or to anyone about whom you are concerned. In each case, name the “disaster” quite specifically. Do not use general terms. For example, do not say, “God did not create illness,” but, “God did not create cancer,” or heart attacks, or whatever may arouse fear in you. 

This is your personal repertory of horrors at which you are looking. These things are part of the world you see. Some of them are shared illusions, and others are part of your personal hell. It does not matter. What God did not create can only be in your own mind apart from His. Therefore, it has no meaning. In recognition of this fact, conclude the practice periods by repeating today’s idea: 

“God did not create a meaningless world.” 

The idea for today can, of course, be applied to anything that disturbs you during the day, aside from the practice periods. Be very specific in applying it. Say:

 “God did not create a meaningless world. He did not create [specify the situation which is disturbing you], and so it is not real."



365 Days Through A Course in Miracles
            A Daily Devotional


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* simple TABLE of CONTENTS! ...  with published posts until this moment.

START DAY: You can begin any time with the Teachings! Read, meditate and make the daily exercises, one by one, every day ... for 365 days! Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, ... until the completion of the 365 lessons!
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