April 2007

Signs and Wonders
By Tennessee Elijah

In a quest to discover what has been hidden, we humans unwrap the outer layers of life for a closer look. We examine with our senses those things we are curious to see, and we then contemplate ourselves as being on a journey to superior knowledge along each step away from ignorance.

We crave excitement that comes from learning something about something new. We marvel at our own ability to unravel tangled misconceptions, and we boast of our knack for proving others wrong when we are right.

In weakness we struggle to become strong; in strength we struggle to become humble; in humility we struggle to become wise; in wisdom we struggle to become kind – and slowly we evolve until we become a role model for Love.

Is it any wonder, then, that we are seekers of Truth in this place where deception is king? Knowing who and what we are makes us want to be different in a better way. We want to prove to ourselves, and then to others, that reality as we understand it is partly fantasy.

We have been experiencing mysteries beyond logic or simple explanation
in this world filled with conflict and contradiction. Though we try to remain honest in an effort to maintain personal integrity, sometimes it is easier to ignore the obvious -- or to dispute facts if it means we must acknowledge
our mistakes. It is the ability to transcend gaps in personal awareness that
eventually builds bridges between what we are presently thinking and the thoughts that pull us out of complacency into higher consciousness.

Maybe it was a new idea coming from another person that caught our attention? Maybe it was a dream or vision that caused us to change an opinion? All of those things we hear and see are leading us to a particular level of maturity as a unique entity among other Life forms.

We are beginning to interpret sights and sounds differently than those who are following close behind along this narrow path we travel to destiny. The horizon we see is a doorway to infinity, beckoning just ahead, and it keeps moving further away as we draw closer. Thoughts from deep within are reminding us when to stop and when to move forward. We often take time
to pause during our tiresome journey for a quick gaze back in time to see how far we have already gone.

The distance yet to be traversed has been marked by a desire to read invisible signs. We take note when they are seen pointing to places we have never been. There is nothing and nobody that can stop us from moving ahead once goals have been intentionally set. There is a feeling of tranquility in our bones that fills flesh with confidence as we reach out beyond prevailing circumstances. We are like children following light out of darkness
when trying to find a home we have never seen before.

It is not unusual to be temporarily dismayed by remnants of those who fell along the wayside. We see evidence of their existence, and then wonder if we might suffer the same fate? Strangely, and without hesitation, we shrug off doubt, letting faith in the future dominate as we resume an endless endeavor to satisfy curiosity.

Occasionally when losing sight of the unknown, when things visible cloud instinctive perceptions, a mysterious visitor will be encountered or unusual events will startle us out of lethargy. We opologetically define the miracle we witness as some kind of coincidence. Like others who came before us, telling their unusual stories so we know what to expect, we eagerly try to explain instances that made us aware of supernatural forces functioning
in ways that tend to eliminate boredom.

It is far too easy for lesser students of reality to rationalize away our faith in their zeal to discount Higher Intelligence that we describe as God. Too many scholars are inclined to praise the power of chance rather than the power of creation when anxiously explaining what they can’t believe. Humans with limited foresight are easily convinced to close their minds to a hypothesis or theory which lacks scientific substantiation. Even so, in spite of distractions and obstructions, we are learning how to expand ambitious attempts while overcoming opposition.

After all has been said and done during our short time on Earth, how many of us will find eternal contentment in Heaven? Will there be more of us who make the misery of Hell the ultimate destiny? If we are truly children of an omnipotent Father who loves us, will His angels be telling us right from
wrong as choices are made to purify what was corrupted – or will we be giving credence to the one known as Satan when choosing what to believe?

When signs and wonders somehow happen to get our attention, we might
be convinced to expect the unexpected. We might become less rigid in our thinking, and might be led into places far more complex than originally thought possible. When we see the face of Divinity in the sparkle of an eye or in the beauty of a smile, we begin to know how and why we exist. When we begin to understand why fear of the unknown and hate of the unfamiliar are signs that mark lack of progress, we will begin to know why courage
and true Love can lead to the success of our endeavors.

Until we are finally where we want to be, we must never cease to be childlike in our desire to explore beyond our present location. It is our hope for something better that must always dominate desire for change. This grand River of Life flowing through every heart is bubbling up out of a bottomless well for reasons too marvelous for human intellect to comprehend.

So, until we people who inhabit Planet Earth discover the invisible Source
of our origin, everything created to sustain us in this dimension of existence should be seen as a promise of greater things to come. We must always remind ourselves, and each other, to never give up when times get tough during our search for understanding. As we have learned, quitters never
win, and winners never quit; if we don’t try, we will never succeed.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matthew 7:7

For every mountain we pass over,
there will be higher mountains to overcome!