Nothing is truer than the following statement: God is the highest good we can possibly imagine. Think of the very best father or mother you know. Multiply his or her goodness by infinity, and you are only scratching the surface of God’s goodness. God is the fullness of fatherhood and motherhood, the most perfect love you can imagine. God is a perpetual fountain of overflowing love. This is the God of Jesus, the God of Yogananda, the God of creation, the God of all people, and the God of you and me.
Jesus tells us not to fear because our heavenly Father “is pleased to give us the kingdom.” The term “kingdom” is not a common concept for 21st century people. A kingdom is a metaphor for a sphere of influence, a guiding energy, or an organizing forcefield. We all participate in multiple systems that exercise a significant level of influence in our lives. For example, a family is a powerful organizing forcefield, and so too is one’s culture and country. The kingdom that Jesus refers to is the forcefield of God’s love. As such, it is the most powerful sphere of influence in all of creation. God’s kingdom has guided the process of evolution from the Big Bang to the universe’s present state of development. According to Jesus, the door to God’s kingdom is open to all of us, offering us all of the wisdom, strength and love we need to live full and successful lives. God’s divinity is our birthright. Truly, this is good news!
Yet there is a catch. In order to access this divine sphere of influence, we must disengage from kingdoms rooted in fear, anger, and indifference. What do light and darkness have in common? This is what Jesus meant when he said, “Sell your belongings and give alms.” We must empty ourselves of lesser kingdoms in order to be filled with God’s kingdom. The giving of alms is a call to share our time, talents, and treasure with those on the margins of society, acting as our brother’s keeper. To the degree that we are rooted in God’s sphere of grace, there is nothing to fear. The Bible tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” And Yogananda reminds us, “Giving love to all, feeling the love of God, seeing His presence in everyone, and having but one desire—for His constant presence in the temple of your consciousness—that is the way to live in this world.”
Beloved Divine Father,
Loving Divine Mother,
You are pleased
To offer me your kingdom.
