Creation Spirit

AS IF FROM GOD. Copyright 2000 by James H. Young. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private use–other than for “fair use” as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews without the written permission of the author.
The author’s intent is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest of emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author assumes no responsibility for your actions.
For written approval, contact:

dimitrios@creationspirit.net

I do not really give you new commands.
I have so few to give.
only I tell them in different ways, so as you teach others
you can reach people with different needs
who need to hear them
in different ways.

I gratefully acknowledge the Grand Creative Spirit from which this creative expression comes. I freely and enthusiastically let it flow through me as it came: free from limitation. And I dedicate its results to the same God that is of us all, by whatever name. Your may may call God something different than God. The intention is the same.

And I thank Jane Wolfe for teaching me to pray in a way that I could hear the Word and let it be expressed through me.

Jim Young

Introduction

Originally received in prose form during prayer time with God over a special ten-month period of my life, this psalm-like verse has evolved as a natural expression of my relationship with God. The portion you will see represents only that which was received from that relationship. Hence, it reads as if from God.

As I shared earlier pertinent versions of this material with others, I found that the wisdom I received in this verse can apply to anyone, no matter where they are along their journey. One way or another, in one place or another, we are all on that same narrow road. We struggle in common. Our Greater consciousness is of One. Even though our timing may be different, the messages contained herein can apply to all of us as our needs appear. Read another time, and another, different pieces of the Eternal Wisdom may appeal to us, touch us deeply, or even send us along our path to yet another insight or uplifting twist in our journey.

Each time I began converting the prose to this more lyrical format, I found myself actually praying the verse. By converting the language from God’s Word to me, to God’s prayer through me, I have found deeper meaning, a more penetrating commitment, an even richer form of Love. Indeed, God’s presence has at times felt overpowering, yet as a simple quietude embracing my heart. I suggest you take this approach with each of these poetic verses: one at a time in reverence for each as it speaks just to you, for your highest good.

A comment about this form of verse might serve well. While taking a poetry writing workshop I heard the instructor’s admonition to s l o w d o w n verse so the reader could permit the real meaning to enter both mind and heart. Given the context of the rapid lifestyle we generally embrace, he admonished us to do anything we could to slow down the process of reading and assimilating the messages created from the heart. It takes a special “listening” to “hear” them at the heart level, quite unlike the intellectual approach to reading verse many of us were taught. Reading from the heart takes us past the influence of the ego and the intellect to the spiritual meaning of life. From my perspective spiritual meaning is the only meaning that is real, and of greatest importance to fulfilling our divine purpose in life. I have removed the titles from each verse for the same reason: so that any expression of my ego, although unintended, would more than likely not influence your own personal rendering.

The result has been for me to translate the earlier form of prose into verse of a more vertical format, “stretching” the language, giving it more space in which to be heard. In a very real sense, the space provides a bit of solitude which speaks to us every bit as much as the printed word. Indeed, for those who are willing, it provides an opportunity to hear in the silence of one’s heart in a way that is much more profound than the actual printed word.

This form, then, is a deliberate, purposeful way to get us to slow down enough to more fully absorb meaning and to give impetus for wanting to gain similar, deeper meaning in all aspects of our lives. In a sense, it is a lesson on listening to life, no matter with what form we are in relationship. It seems to me that this listening lifestyle can only lead to much richer relationships with whomever or whatever we invest such attention. It thus becomes a way of living compassionately in all we are and do. Such is the reality of Love.

You may ask: “What is the form of prayer that has led to all this?” I have recommended this particular method to a number of people as a way of finding God’s answers about daily life directly from God, instead of from other, more external, sources, and in each instance they have obtained some powerful truth for themselves when used as directed.

Briefly, because we all connect to God through prayers and reading the Bible and/or other sacred, inspirational works and acts, this is a means of setting the stage–our heart condition–for an even deeper “conversation” with God. On a weekly basis, or even daily if you are more ambitions, after you have in some solitudinous manner paved the way with a regularized intimate time with God, sit either with paper and pen in hand, or at your computer, and ask the three questions cited below, one at a time, and record what comes through you.

The questions and potential answers are not something you think about, for doing that will only “manufacture” a canned, superficial, intellectual response. Contrary to that, what we are looking for is a loving response that comes from a much deeper place than the intellect, through your hands onto paper in a process called automatic writing. It is tantamount to recording intuition and inspiration, or, as some would call it, God’s Word. Believe me: you won’t need an interpreter to gauge the response, even though it more than likely will seem highly unusual at first. Do not be at all concerned with its unusual nature. That nature is what signifies its Truth for you, and only you–and you will he enlightened by it in all its profound simplicity.

A word of caution: be patient and utilize an attitude similar to one used in sitting meditation. By all means, let go of control and all judgment as to any possible answer. You don’t need to ask anything but the three questions, for God already knows what’s really on your mind and will answer accordingly. It’s really the placing of yourself in God’s hands that provides the answers, as you will soon find out, and not the questions themselves. So merely go to God with a heart open to serving Thy Will. Go to God with an attitude which says: “I am here, God, as your servant. I am ready to listen. Speak that I may truly hear–and obey.” And then let go of all outside influence so you can really listen.

Here you go!

The first question is: What, Lord, are you saying to my heart?

Then listen without judgment and write what you have been given. You will know when this answer is complete by the gap in creative energy that ensues. Give thanks when finished, and go on to question #2.

Question #2: How, Lord, do I respond to this? (Follow the directions for #1 in their entirety: ask the question; patiently listen; write; give thanks when finished.)

Question # 3: What, Lord, do you particularly want me to remember? (Follow the directions for #1 in their entirety: ask the question; patiently listen; write; give thanks when finished)

If this process fails to provide you with anything useful at first, do not despair. Instead, persist without angst, and your will be richly rewarded. It, Loving Truth, your Truth, is there simply for the asking. It just takes a willingness to get out of your own way and let God do God’s work.

No matter what your response to this process may be, it has taught me this with indelible clarity: I know for sure that God loves me with a complete Love that is pure and unending, and this Love is converting me slowly but surely to Love more and more likewise. I wish you the very same.

Jim Young

1