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John 1:10-13
He was in
the world that had come into being through him, and the world did not recognize
him. He came to his own and his own people did not accept him. But to those who
did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed
in his name who were born not from human stock or human desire or human will
but from God himself.
Reflection
Children of God may not look like they have power, but they
have the greatest power of all, the power of knowing.
They possess soul knowledge that they are, in fact, children
of God.
They belong, always and forever. They need not prove
anything to anyone, seek approval from faces past or present or achieve something
great in the constant human struggle to find significance.
They can breathe and rest assured in the arms of a love that
refuses to let them go.
They know who they are and the love that is always true,
which frees and empowers them to listen to their depths and discover the wonder
of the person they are. They can begin to live according to internal rhythms of
heart not external demands of others.
Soul knowledge is not an idea one holds in your head, but
deep awareness of a truth that fills your being and brings peace. It calms the
mind and quiets the anxious ego that drives so much human behavior.
Soul knowledge resides not in the mind but in the whole
body, in one’s entire being.
It slows our speech and allows us to respond slowly to what
is happening in and around us instead of reacting knee-jerk to each person,
situation or provocation. It takes a long view and knows the will that is Love
will unfold in its own time.
Soul knowledge grants depth of being, integrating our inner
and outer worlds, so that we choose what to say and do, instead of being driven
by whims of the moment or the expectations and demands of others.
It allows us to speak and act from our depth not merely from
the top of our head or the immediate rush of emotion that can flood and
overwhelm us.
Coming to soul knowledge that one is a child of God is a
lifelong process of learning and growing. There are set backs and sometimes
great leaps forward.
The process always involves accepting what is in Jesus, who
bears the mind and passion of God.
Accepting Jesus has nothing to do with affirming or
believing in doctrinal statements about him. It is not about learning creeds or
professing them on Sunday morning.
It is about coming to know what is in him by listening to
him and those who truly belong to him. It is seeing the depth of compassion on
his face when he encountered human suffering and need, hunger and pain. It is
watching as he blessed the broken and welcomed children.
It is listening to stories about prodigals who are welcomed,
about the poor who are blessed and the mourning who know the comfort of a
loving promise not even death can break.
It is possible to learn what is in Jesus without ever
knowing about him since the mystery of God can be found throughout all
creation. God is never silent and nowhere absent.
Those who welcome the substance of what is in Jesus, the
substance of his love found in those who truly know him, come to soul knowledge
of what the soul most needs to live, assured of that love that will not let
them go.
Pr. David L. Miller
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