I recently heard a recording of a sermon, which alluded to 'the sacred contract', a built in contract between a person and God. It was interesting to hear some of the points made, and I wonder if the terminology (non-traditional) might be adding more confusion to the search for truth, than it helped clarify. It's seeing clearly, that's the issue. The terminology isn't really important.
During the sermon a comment was made about our need to get 'whopped up side the head', in order to live up to our end of the contract. This 'whopping' was necessary, because of the 'built in structure of the contract'. The pastor continued with a chuckle, then said, "You'll never be provided everything that you need to get it within you. This is God's little joke on you."
From my experience it's fairly easy to discover that everything IS provided, without the need for a 'whopping'. The problem lies in how we see Reality, not in Reality itself.
The essential problem lies more in our determination to have things our way, instead of allowing Reality to be what it is. In Jesus' words, 'Not my will, but yours be done.' If people could only let go of their wants, they'd find their needs.
The sermon continued with a comment about how this 'whop upside the head' was "...necessary for us to let go of our self-imposed limitations, or those limitations that are imposed upon us (by society), before we can live up to this contract with
God." This shift of meaning is more accurate- it's about OUR difficulties, not anything imposed from outside. Societally imposed limitations could be viewed as imposed from without, but we all have the option of following society, or 'jumping ship', and taking the 'narrow path'. It's not easy, but you're not denied the resources you need to live up to your end of the contract!
It's our will and training (which creates self momentum) that is the issue, not any limitation imposed on us by society, or God (Reality). For this reason there's no need to make sacrifices, or devise rituals to 'make things right'. Everything IS RIGHT, but you've got to learn to see clearly to discover this truth.
Don't concern yourself with what you want- Jesus put it nicely, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Mt. 6.25
The truly amazing thing, is that it doesn't matter how you let go of self, you can trust in God, or Jesus, or Buddha, or something you make up. The challenge lies in trusting 'something' enough to LET GO OF SELF. (The 12 step process of Alcoholics Anonymous employs this method.)
Matthew
During the sermon a comment was made about our need to get 'whopped up side the head', in order to live up to our end of the contract. This 'whopping' was necessary, because of the 'built in structure of the contract'. The pastor continued with a chuckle, then said, "You'll never be provided everything that you need to get it within you. This is God's little joke on you."
From my experience it's fairly easy to discover that everything IS provided, without the need for a 'whopping'. The problem lies in how we see Reality, not in Reality itself.
The essential problem lies more in our determination to have things our way, instead of allowing Reality to be what it is. In Jesus' words, 'Not my will, but yours be done.' If people could only let go of their wants, they'd find their needs.
The sermon continued with a comment about how this 'whop upside the head' was "...necessary for us to let go of our self-imposed limitations, or those limitations that are imposed upon us (by society), before we can live up to this contract with
God." This shift of meaning is more accurate- it's about OUR difficulties, not anything imposed from outside. Societally imposed limitations could be viewed as imposed from without, but we all have the option of following society, or 'jumping ship', and taking the 'narrow path'. It's not easy, but you're not denied the resources you need to live up to your end of the contract!
It's our will and training (which creates self momentum) that is the issue, not any limitation imposed on us by society, or God (Reality). For this reason there's no need to make sacrifices, or devise rituals to 'make things right'. Everything IS RIGHT, but you've got to learn to see clearly to discover this truth.
Don't concern yourself with what you want- Jesus put it nicely, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Mt. 6.25
The truly amazing thing, is that it doesn't matter how you let go of self, you can trust in God, or Jesus, or Buddha, or something you make up. The challenge lies in trusting 'something' enough to LET GO OF SELF. (The 12 step process of Alcoholics Anonymous employs this method.)
Matthew
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