Cleanse Yourself
The next day Tobias said to Jesus,
“Yesterday you spoke of cleansing one's self to know the truth. How is this done?”
As bathing in water cleans, so does prayer. Prayer cleanses you of that which hides you from God.
“I know little of prayer, Lord.”
Pray in this way to be clean.
Present yourself before God. Welcome God in heart and mind. Speak of all that troubles you in the world and in your heart. Let God gaze on all you show. Reveal where your heart is hard, reveal what you would conceal. Surrender all to God's love.
Give thanks for God’s constant love and whatever joy you know. Abide in your Father's care.
Pray in all humility; for where you are during prayer, is where you find the Father.
“Why must we reveal all before God?”
You do this to know what God knows and behold what God loves. Truth reveals God's love in you; it is a holy union.
A young woman walking with Tobias asked,
“What is the Holy Spirit?”
The Father is like the sun, the Holy Spirit is like the constant light of the sun. The Holy Spirit is truth and the truth will light your way.
“Are we all of God?”
Though my words may answer you, how will you know they are true?
As God becomes known in you so does the Holy Spirit; and the answers that you need become plain for you to see.
“How can we know such truth?”
Do you surrender your mind to God or hold thoughts of God? On what do you build your life?
We thought on this as we walked to a place near the market where we could eat and talk.
A question about sin arose and how to recognize it. Jesus said,
The fruit of sin gives you pain. Yet you do not clutch at thorns for your wisdom tells you so. Sin is the lack of wisdom and pain becomes the teacher.
“Do we not sin against God and thus are condemned to suffer?”
You think greatly of yourself and you think little of God. Your Father’s love shines on you, as does the light of the sun. You do not have the power to dim so mighty a light.
But choose to condemn yourself, as if it were God's decree, and you meet the fulfilment of your own careless judgment. This is not God's will but yours.
“What can we do?”
Though you may do as you choose, know that you meet what you send.
Questions came seeking understanding of sin and how we could find peace.
Sin is like the man who deems his brother an enemy.
He turns away from the child that his Father sees and loves. Who has lost? Who does suffer? Will the Father not restore the good a brother may take?
Who does bear your brother love? Who is called upon to give? To withhold love declares your lack in knowing love’s power. The pain of such ignorance will teach you, and all, in time.
Sin is like the thirsty man who stands by the well yet draws not water to slake his thirst.
All do live by the Spirit. All who seek the truth gain life. But do not drink and your thirst will cause you pain and sorrow. Many lose all sense seeking hard and bitter substitutes.
Yet those who drink from the well will find peace and harmony; their sight clears, they find their path.
Sin is like the haughty child who ignores his Father's call.
When you turn away from God you lose treasure past knowing. You find not your Father’s love, nor do you learn of the joy God finds in your company.
Sin is to set a desire above God and strive for it without God. This is pride’s choice. Loss comes from seeking power or pleasure or possessions that your pride may feel content.
“How does loss come from seeking gain?”
Wherever you strive for gain, you confess your poverty. Wherever you give of your riches, you declare your wealth.
Do you look for what you lack or look at what you can give?
These words drew silence from us. They were like food to be eaten, slowly.
Later, one among us said,
“Lord, do we not need to make amends and atone for our sins?”
When you turn to the Father what in you shall sustain sin?
In facing the Father, you shall recognize the bounty and treasure He has given.
“In giving from such treasure do debts accrue? What is the cost?”
If you seek gain and give not, you deprive others of your bounty and your Father’s gifts. Give wealth and it will increase.
“What weight does ‘giving’ have in Heaven?”
The spirit in which you give establishes the weight of the treasure you find within. But the worth you give does not govern the love God gives you.
Tobias asked,
“Lord, must we not abide by the ways of this world and protect our families and loved ones from loss?”
You do as your wisdom guides. Yet do you seek your Father’s counsel or act on your own? Do you set aside some time to listen to your Father? In that stillness comes wisdom.
“Lord, you press me to give and do more than the demands of the day.”
Though you abide in this world is the family of this world the only one you know?
When the worker has finished all his duties for the day does he not go to his home and give a portion of time to his family and friends?
Come, meet all your family; learn where love for you endures.
Many had gathered to listen and saw that Tobias had not yet found peace. Jesus said to him,
How well do you know God’s love?
Do you see that which God gives?
What does God give your loved ones?
“Lord, I begin to see. I look at the field and see not the valley; I look at the stone and see not the path. I shall place my family under the care of our Father and listen for what guidance He would give.”
Learn to be still and listen. Listen lovingly and learn. Strive not to hear your Father; just trust, listen and give thanks. What you need to hear will come.
Some time passed then one of the quieter ones said,
“Lord, you spoke of the Father finding joy in my company. How can this be when I am so unworthy?”
Know you whose eyes gaze on you? What bounds do you set on God? Shall you curb God’s love for you? How great is your vanity that God should obey your will?
Though you may stand in shadows your Father’s love shines always.
“There seem so many ways to sin. How can we guard against the pitfalls?”
There are only two pitfalls: hide from truth and withhold love.