“I raised the dead by knowing that life is an eternal attribute of everything that the living God created. Why do you believe it is harder for me to inspire the dis-spirited or to stabilize the unstable? I do not believe that there is an order of difficulty in miracles; you do. I have called and you will answer. I understand that miracles are natural, because they are expressions of love. My calling you is as natural as your answer, and as inevitable. (T65)”
Affirmation: “miracles are natural”
1 – Miracles = Natural
Jesus is again speaking here. He is emphasizing that all miracles are natural and any is as easy for him to effect as any other.
2 – Marianne Williamson
Marianne Williamson has written a bit about the power of Jesus to heal neurotics. This passage uses the term “unstable,” but I think the meaning is similar and the content essentially identical. Surely we recognize when life is not running smoothly for us, and if we are astute, we will realize that the problems we are encountering are at least partially our own fault (some would say that we drew those problems to ourselves, but A Course in Miracles does not go that far). If we can change our reality only by changing ourselves (which is akin to ACIM tenets), then it is probably abundantly evident that we need some help in changing ourselves. And the Holy Spirit stands ever ready. When we follow the intuitive indications that we get, we will find ourselves growing into ever-better relationships with our brothers and sisters in this world. When we are patently neurotic, we will always have problems with relationships.
3 – Miracles = Our Natural Inheritance
We obviously find it hard to believe that miracles are completely natural, as well as easily prompted, for others if not for Jesus. Yet we are told elsewhere in the Course that miracles are our natural inheritance. It is fascinating that here Jesus reaffirms that he raised the dead in his life on earth. This, perhaps, has been an element of the New Testament that some have found hard to understand–even long-time Christians. The Course, scribed 2,000 years later, may make this claim more plausible.
4 – Certain to Respond
Jesus is certain that we will respond to him. This certainty is comforting to us, because perhaps we see the way to Life as long and arduous. The pathway need not be such. We can turn to Jesus as our Friend, as he has always promised that he would be. (In the Course, he identifies himself as an elder brother.)
Prayer:
Dear Father,
May I recognize Jesus as my elder brother. May I know that he is always there to help me to adjust to this sometimes hard life.
May I know that life need not be hard, because there are always natural means–miracles–to smooth the way. May I take this knowledge to heart, and truly believe it. Then I will feel safe, regardless of what is going on around me.
Amen.