Monday, March 7, 2011

The Realm of the Child begins with Parents









Dynamics of Love; The Realm of the Child begins with Parents

If you pray and ask God, “What is the center of heaven and earth, and what is the root of the universe?” He will say that it is the relationship between a father and his sons and daughters, the parent-child relationship. People who are ignorant of this will think that this refers to the relationship between a physical father and mother and their sons and daughters, but we are talking about the fundamental relationship with God. (CSG: 19-158, 1968.1.1)

A child is the fruit, the manifestation of the parents’ love, an extension of their life, and the embodiment of the parents’ ideals. Children are born on the basis of the parents’ love, life, and ideals; thus, the more the parents see them, the more lovable they become, the more they become ideal people to relate to, and the more vibrant life becomes. (CSG)

I have realized more deeply than ever before that the Purpose of Creation is first 'Object Partnership', or from God's point of view, finding True Parents, God's partners on earth.  Then and only then can his 'True Love' expand to the world and cosmos.  It begins from a point, much as science teaches us how the physical world was created; from a small point.

We may feel a bit left out after this realization (I know I do at times).  God doesn't love like a fish, fertilizing all the eggs in the sea at once.  We may naively feel that God's love is like the sunshine pouring down, and our daily affirmation of this is enough to make the magic of restoration happen.  Then we look around and see such meager results, and problems growing exponentially larger.  We can only conclude that something like this must be the case. We have a 'God connection' problem and must honestly realize it is true and seek to solve it.

Love requires one hundred percent devotion. When God was creating the universe, He invested Himself one hundred percent through His love. That is
why true love begins with living for the sake of others. (CSG: 189-202, 1989.4.6)

God is the Absolute Being, but He needs another being to be His partner in love. That partner is none other than a human being. Once human beings, who are His partners in love, appear in front of God with perfected love, He can then become the God of happiness, and
the God who has found His ideal of joy.  (CSG: 145-267, 1986.5.15)


God needs one object to fully love, and that object must fully reciprocate that love to reveal what True Love really is.  Only then can real 'Love' be multiplied in our world.  That object has never been found in the course of history.  It is the reason a 'Messiah' or some link to God has been a major theme in all religions and philosophies.

Man abdicated his responsibility.  By making excuses and pointing his finger, he left it to the 'angel' to be the center of love or 'luv' as I call it.  That angel is unqualified to fill the universe with 'Love' even if he hadn't fallen.  This reality has generated a race of finger pointers.

This explains why human history is not 'God's True Love Story', but a story of humankind's miserable failings.  It explains why God seems something distant and trapped, like a insect locked in amber (see top image).

It explains why although our hearts goes out to the starving children of the world, it seems almost impossible to rectify the problem.  Our hearts feel we should have enough, but in reality we don't have 'enough'.  There is a power source that must be plugged in to.  It can't be inserted half way for it to work.  The connection must be complete. 

I understand that I am created to be an autonomously loving  sovereign soul.  My identity as a unique child of God is the most important thing to me.  But along with that, I understand that the love meant to bind men together was broken before it could solidify. That broken love is really God's broken heart.  We have never been the true mature loving souls we should be.

For the reasons stated above, I begin this study of the 'Four Loves, Love 1: The Realm of the Child' on the foundation of the realization that we need 'True Parents'.  The child's realm of love doesn't exist without the radiant love of his Parents shining down from above him.  The Parent only become a parent when those beautiful, clear, alive and innocent eyes are shining back.  

We need True Parents and they need us. 

I said that God and human beings are in a parent-child relationship, but what is special about this parent-child relationship? The highest place where father and son can meet is the central point where their love, life and ideals intersect. Then, love, life, and ideals are in one place. At that place, God is love, and so are we; God is life, and so are we; and God’s ideals are our ideals. The first place where these things can be established is in the parent-child relationship.
(69-78, 1973.10.20)

When God gives us love, how much would He want to give? God’s love does not have a set limit. He wants to give infinitely. Even after giving everything, God still says, “Because of you, I want to live in you.” What is the essential element that makes this possible? It is love.  God would be happy to live as a servant if that life were lived inside love. A father could feel joy even if he sees his beloved son defecate on his dining table. Love transcends law.

God has been continuously extending His love to people, but that does not mean He will complain, saying, “I have given you everything without reserve.  Why do you not give back? How can you be like this?” The God of absolute love is still frustrated that He has not been able to give all the love He wants to. God cannot assert Himself absolutely into our lives. If God’s purpose in creating man was to give perfect love, God would still want to pour His love into the human world even if He has been prohibited from doing so until now. The more we think of God as being so unconditionally giving, the better we feel. If God were someone who says, “I have given everything, so now you give back,” we would not need Him. (36-77, 1970.11.15)



Friday, February 25, 2011

Discovering the Dynamics of Love

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Our Love Language
I attended our Church's webinar the other day.  The moderator ask us to look within to determine our 'Spiritual Love Language'.  Just as our individual 'Language of Love', can be identified, our 'Love Language' with God can be realized.  Some communicate with God in nature, some find God while studying truth,  some experience Him in service for others, and other in religious worship or meditation.

As I listened to the discussion, I found that my 'Way' was not specifically on the list.  I found it partially in all the Love Languages, but not complete enough in any one that I could truly identify it as my love language with God.  Later, I realized that I find God in 'Discovery'.

One of my earliest memories is gliding across a mirror calm lake in the dark of night, surrounded by the lights of hundreds of cottages on the distant shore.  Each of those cottages were beaming light across that mirror, and as we move forward, those lights were following me!  "I must be special", I thought. "I bet they follow every one else too. All of us must be very special".

Feeling the Existence of God
Our religious quest, or any internal quest for that matter, is not about a battle of words, ideas and beliefs.

First, it is awareness that we are a result of something magnificent that pre-existed us. Second is to realize that we have been designed for the entirety of our being to be a part of every aspect of this experience.  We are fully embedded in this magnificent construct that reaches beyond us.
God’s existence is not just a matter of words. From the perspective of the subject-object partner relationship in the Principle, we do not need to prove that God exists. Rather, the position we must establish is that God existed before we had cognition of Him and that He rules over all our senses and over everything to do with us.

Awareness of this is more important than anything else. The basic rule is that awareness precedes knowledge, not the other way around. When we are cold, we first feel cold before we think, “I am cold.” We do not first think “I am cold” before we feel it. Isn’t that so? Likewise, because God exists, you must be able to feel His existence with your cells. Reaching that state is what matters. In other words, the issue is how we reach the state in which we can experience these things.

(CSG: 58-291, 1972.6.25)
Finally then, what matters is to 'feel' the reality of 'God's Love'.
Tap into those feelings that brings deep experiences.

You should be able to cry out “Father!” even in your sleep and even when you are by yourself. When in your daily life you forget to eat or sleep, and exclaim “Father!” with a deep longing, you will be able to hold His hand. Magical things will happen. When you call out “Father!”
He will embrace you.

You must know that in your life of faith, the most precious thing is how you tap into those feelings that bring you those deep experiences. The degree and amount of your experience and feel-
ing can be the measure of your faith. If you have such a heart of love, when you determine, “I must accomplish this,” God will already be supporting you even before you ask, “Heavenly Father, please be with me.” Feeling His support, you will say, “Thank you, God!” (CSG: 58-297, 1972.6.25)



I have begun some adventures that keep the spirit of discovery alive.

1)  The Dynamics of Love: Principles for Safe Sailing

 
The 4 Loves:
1 Child’s Love
2 Mutual Love
3. Conjugal Love
4 Parental Love

2) The Grow Fiddle:  Experiencing the (4) Position Foundation:

Grow Fiddle Work Sheet

I will keep you posted on my journey.  I'll be on the lookout for inspiration and insight.  We all need partners or nothing is joyful or worthwhile.

Take Care!

John

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