TWO INTO ONE

[The following is a reprint of my blog of February 12, 2009]

It came to me recently that I need pay attention to the words in the Lord’s Prayer, “on earth as it is in heaven.” I tend to think “God’s in His heaven [and I'm here on earth] and all’s right with the world.”

It reminds me of the time I was in the midst of a “spiritual growth spurt,” secure in the knowledge that I was being totally taken care of by the love of God, and I’m speeding down the highway…and got pulled over, and ticketed for speeding, by the state patrol.

I was incensed and called a dear friend to complain that I wasn't going any faster than anybody else, it wasn't fair, etc., etc., etc.; and he said, “You must remember, we need to obey the laws of God AND man.”

To obey the laws of God and man is not two different things…to me, God’s law is, basically, if I will respectfully put another first, before myself, God will see that I’m taken care of.

Likewise, to me, the basis of man’s law was the need for certain standards to be set down for humans to follow in order to learn to live in harmony with others, to get along with others.

If we truly learn that, we are squarely back in God’s law; i.e., if I will respectfully put another first, before myself, God will see that I am taken care of.

And that brings me back to my flash of the importance of the words “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” God is not in two different places, it is my thinking that makes the separation.

Just as God’s law is not separate from man’s law, it is when I’m thinking God is taking care of me while I speed down the highway, that I am keeping myself separate…from God’s law AND man’s law, and I will pay the consequences.

Thank you.