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Enjoy another wonderful text by Rev. Phil Smedsted, minister Emeritus of Oasis Rising Center

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Phil Smedstad's texts are one of the ways Oasis Rising Center supports members.

A Positive Path for Spiritual Living

Oasis Rising Center Spiritual Center
Oasis Rising Center 8125 West Sahara Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89125
(702) 804-8189
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“God’s Infinite Love”                                            By Rev. Phillip Smedstad

The lesson this past Sunday was based on the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  It’s probably Jesus’ most beloved parable.  What I personally love about it is that I can relate to both of the kids in the story.

You might want to take a few minutes to read Luke 15:11-32.  It’s a great story and the rest of this article will make more sense if you do.  It’s easy to “Google” that Bible passage. 

One son receives his inheritance and goes off to live in a “far country.”  Metaphysically, this is each of us when we are living in ego mind.  Remember, the ego is who we believe we are when we feel separate from God.  Wayne Dyer likes to refer to the ego as “edging God out.”  I like that.

The “far country” is where we are when we forget that we are connected to an unlimited Source right within us.  This is why it is so important to have spiritual practices like listing things each day for which we are grateful, asking for guidance, and tithing our time, talent, and treasure.

It’s not that Spirit could ever leave us.  Spirit is, after all, the Core of our being.  It’s just that when we “edge God out” of our conscious mind, what happens next is struggle and lack in our lives, just like the prodigal son finds.

When we live without being consciously connected to our Source, there’s always an inner home sickness.  Also, when we are in that far country, believing we are on our own, fear, lack, and separateness seem very real while love, abundance, and oneness do not.

The prodigal son ends up feeding pigs.  For the son of a wealthy Jewish landowner, it doesn’t get any lower than that.  He was starving, and would have gladly eaten pig food, but no one would even give him any of that. (When we are spiritually in the far country, the things we are the most hungry for are things like guidance, love, inspiration, and a sense of power.)

Then the prodigal son “comes to himself.”  He wakes up, or “repents.”  The true meaning of the word “repent” isn’t to be really, really sorry.  It’s actually to turn around and go the other direction.  Have you remembered who you are?  Have you remembered what you deserve in life – both inwardly and outwardly? 

In the story, the son rehearses his speech.  To himself, he says, “I no longer deserve to be a member of the family.  I’ll ask to be one of the servants.  Even they have plenty to eat.”  Then he turns around (repents) and stops running away from God.

He takes one step toward home.  When he does, the father (at Unity would say “his Father/Mother God) comes running and covers him with kisses.  The father says, “Give him shoes.  His feet are sore.  Bring him a robe.  Put a ring on his finger.”

When we take one step toward oneness with Spirit, Spirit takes 100 steps toward us.  It says, “Let’s celebrate.  Let’s have a feast.  My son/my daughter who was dead is alive again, was lost and is found.”

Then, of course, there is the resentful older brother.  This guy I can really relate to.  Maybe you can too?  He’s the good one.  He’s the sacrificer.  He’s the “human doing.”  He doesn’t do what he does for the joy of service.  He does it to be good, to be righteous.

He doesn’t include himself as a recipient of the giving he does (as he always could).  He expects a reward later for doing his duty.

The older brother is as much in a far country as is his younger brother.  He just doesn’t know it yet.  Like his brother, he also doesn’t know his connection with God.

To each of us, Spirit says, “My son, my daughter, you are always with me, and all I have is yours.”  Of course, this means right now, in this moment, today.  All we have to do is receive it and express it to others.

Spirit is always present in us as love, power, wisdom, and aliveness.  All we have to do is claim it.

I asked everyone on Sunday to join me in two affirmations:

• “I now claim my inheritance of all the qualities of God.”
• “I now open myself to receive God’s infinite love.”

As soon as we claim our oneness with God, all the “how-to’s” we need show up in our life.  Resources follow commitment, and how-to’s follow intention.

Spirit really does love you and me – deeply, dearly, and unconditionally.  So, let this week be a time to commit (or recommit) to fully receiving and expressing God’s love.  No one deserves God’s love more than you do.