SECTION I
The Disciple,--O Master, Fountain of
life! Why dost Thou hide Thyself from those that adore Thee, and dost not
rejoice the eyes of them that long to gaze upon Thee?
The Master,--1. My true child, true
happiness depends not upon the sight of the eyes, but comes through spiritual
vision, and depends upon the heart. In Palestine thousands looked upon Me, but
all of them did not thus obtain true happiness. By mortal eyes only those
things can be perceived that are mortal, for eyes of flesh cannot behold an
immortal God and spiritual beings. For instance, you yourself cannot see your
own spirit, therefore how can you behold its Creator? But when the spiritual
eyes are opened, then you can surely see Him who is Spirit, (John iv.24), and
that which you now see of Me you see not with eyes of flesh, but with the eyes
of the spirit.
If, as you say, thousands of people saw Me in
Palestine then were all their spiritual eyes opened, or did I Myself become
mortal? The answer is, No! I took on a mortal body so that in it I might give a
ransom for the sins of the world; and when the work of salvation was completed
for sinners (John xix.30), then that which was immortal transfigured what was
mortal into glory. Therefore after the resurrection only those were able to see
Me who had received spiritual sight (Acts x. 40,41).
2. Many there are in this world who know about
Me, but do not know Me; that is they have no personal relationship with Me,
therefore they have no true apprehension of or faith in Me, and do not accept
Me as their Saviour and Lord.
Just as if one talks with a man born blind about
different colors such as red, blue, yellow, he remains absolutely unaware of
their charm and beauty, he cannot attach any value to them, because he only
knows about them, and is aware of their various names. But with regard to
colors he can have no true conception until his eyes are opened. In the same
manner until a man's spiritual eyes are opened, howsoever learned he may be, he
cannot know Me, he cannot behold My glory, and he cannot understand that I am
God Incarnate.
3. There are many believers who are aware of My
presence in their hearts bringing to them spiritual life and peace, but cannot
plainly see Me. Just as the eye can see many things, yet when someone drops
medicine into the eye does not see it, but the presence of the medicine is felt
cleansing the inner eye and promoting the power of sight.
4. The true peace which is born of My presence in
the hearts of true believers they are unable to see, but, feeling its power,
they become happy in it. Nor can they see that happiness of mind or heart
through which they enjoy the peace of My presence. It is the same with the
tongue and sweetmeats. The faculty of taste which resides in the tongue and the
sweetness it perceives are both invisible. Thus also I give My children life
and joy by means of the hidden manna, which the world with all its wisdom knows
not nor can know (Rev. ii.7).
5. Sometimes during sickness the faculty of taste
in the tongue is interfered with, and during that time, however tasty the food
given to the sick person may be, it has an ill taste to him. In just the same
way sin interferes with the taste for spiritual things. Under such
circumstances My Word and service and My presence lost their attraction to the
sinner, and instead of profiting by them he begins to argue about and to
criticize them.
6. Many believers again--like the man born blind,
on receiving his sight--are able to see Jesus as a prophet and the Son of Man,
but do not regard Him as the Christ and the Son of God (John ix.17, 35-37),
until I am revealed to them a second time in power.
7. A mother once hid herself in a garden amongst
some densely growing shrubs, and her little son went in search of her here and
there, crying as he went. Through the whole garden he went, but could not find
her. A servant said to him, "Sonny, don't cry! Look at the mangoes on this tree
and all the pretty, pretty flowers in the garden. Come, I am going to get some
for you." But the child cried out, "No! No! I want my mother. The food she
gives me is nicer than all the mangoes, and her love is sweeter far than all
these flowers, and indeed you know that all this garden is mine, for all that
my mother has is mine. No! I want my mother!" When the mother, hidden in the
bushes, heard this, she rushed out and, snatching her child to her breast,
smothered him with kisses, and that garden became a paradise to the child. In
this way My children cannot find in this great garden of a world, so full of
charming and beautiful things, any true joy until they find Me. I am their
Emmanuel, who is ever with them, and I make Myself known to them (John
xiv.21).
8. Just as the sponge lies in the water, and the
water fills the sponge, but the water is not the sponge and the sponge is not
the water, but they ever remain different things, so children abide in Me and I
in them. This is not pantheism, but it is the kingdom of God, which is set up
in the hearts of those who abide in this world; and just as the water in the
sponge, I am in every place and in everything, but they are not I (Luke
xvii.21).
9. Take a piece of charcoal, and however much you
may wash it its blackness will not disappear, but let the fire enter into it
and its dark colour vanishes. So also when the sinner receives the Holy Spirit
(who is from the Father and Myself, for the Father and I are one), which is the
baptism of fire, all the blackness of sin is driven away, and he is made a
light to the world (Matt. iii.11, v.14). As the fire in the charcoal, so I
abide in My children and they in Me, and through them I make Myself manifest to
the world.