Facing Facts

Facing  Facts

Martin Cecil   August 7, 1954

Do you think that Uranda's dedication to the Purposes of our KING

are any less now than they were when he had a form on earth?

How then, is the fulfilment of that purpose to be known?

Through the forms which we provide for the manifestation of the same Spirit, the same Being,

in the accomplishment of God's Purposes to on earth.

As we come to this evening hour of August 7th, Saturday, 1954, in the Chapel on Sunrise Ranch, I would that it might have been under different circumstances. It is always good to greet friends, and so it is that I would greet you in the Spirit of Friendship this evening. But the circumstances in which we gather are certainly not such as I would have chosen.

Tonight I thought that we might undertake, not so much a Service in the usual sense, but a consideration of those things which are close to our hearts. There are perhaps those here who have not had the opportunity of sharing in what we might call our Family Spirit hitherto, but I know that they will bear with us with understanding, as we bring to focus in consideration some of those things which are so close to our hearts. My heart is full, and I know yours is, too. These are personal things. I might say almost family affairs. But, you know, these personal things, which are so personal to us, should be in the same way personal to every human being on the face of the earth; and if they were, we would not have been in the position, nor under the necessity, of facing the issue of this tragedy with which we have been faced.

We need to remember that tragedy is never God's Will. There are those who are inclined to take the attitude that because human beings do not understand the ways of God very well, He works mysteriously, His wonders to perform, and imposes tragedy in order to bring forth His wonders. But that is never God's Way, the imposition of tragedy. If there is tragedy, it is evidence of a failure somewhere on the part of a human being.

When we recall the tragic outworking in relationship to our Master's life, some have been inclined to look upon that as being God's Will. What sort of a God would that be? Tragedy is never God's Will! Tragedy comes by reason of that which human beings do, or fail to do, in relationship to God's Will. The tragedy which appeared in our Master's life was imposed upon Him by human beings, so obviously. It was not necessary from the standpoint of God, but human beings made it necessary by imposing it. This tragedy which is uppermost in our minds and hearts this evening is, equally, not something which God imposed. It is not an evidence of God's Will. It is an evidence of the failure of man to let God's Will be done. Every tragedy is such evidence. But, seeing that these things are so, it is necessary that we face the fact of them.

I think, probably, you experienced a certain rebelliousness in your minds and hearts in relationship to the situation, an unwillingness to accept it. And that is understandable. But, when we are faced with a fact, we need to face it like men and women because, even though it is not something that has been imposed by God upon man, seeing that it has become a fact, it can be used by God, if human beings are willing to let it be so, as a means of bringing forth wonderful blessings. We know something of the Blessings that were brought forth by reason of that which man imposed upon our Master, and human beings have scarcely touched the Blessings that were made available through that tragedy. Again, the tragedy occurred because human beings made it occur. It was not God's Will anymore than this is God's Will. But, seeing that it is the fact, then God can use it to advantage.

We need to face it as a fact. There is, naturally, sadness, grief; but grief is all too often an evidence of something self-centered, carrying a spirit of self-pity, and we want none of that. It is of no value to us or to anyone. There is a natural sadness when we lose our friends, our loved ones, or seem to lose them, but let us not indulge in self-pity. Let us not rebel against the fact. It does no good. Let us not resent it. And let us not assume that because human beings, by reason of the fact that they have not yet learned how to let God's Will be done, produce such tragedies, that it need remain a tragedy, insofar as we are concerned. It need not remain a tragedy, because there is that which can be accomplished by reason of the circumstances as they are. There are those things which have already been accomplished by reason of the circumstances as they are.

“And your sorrow shall be turned to joy.” Do you recollect those words which our Master spoke almost twenty centuries ago? We can let it be so today. It is a natural and a proper cycle of outworking in which we may share, if we will, if we choose to play our part and let it be so. If we recognize that this particular situation with which we are faced is not an evidence of the working of God's Will, that it is an evidence of human failure, let us not enter into any attitude of self-judgment or self-condemnation. I am not emphasizing these facts with respect to tragedy in order to induce a sense of discouragement, or a sense of guilt, on your part or on the part of anyone. We merely need to recognize these things as being facts. Human beings, functioning out from under the Control of the Spirit of God in this world, produce patterns and situations which cause tragedy. It is futile to try to place the blame, try to find some specific point, some scapegoat to pin it to. All tragedy is the result of the state of human life, the expression of human life on earth, out from under the control of the Spirit of God. We would perhaps, have to go way, way back if we were to find the starting point for such things, but there is responsibility in that regard in every generation. So, we cannot blame anyone particularly. We just need to face up to, and recognize the facts as they are, that we may begin to be in position to let the Blessing appear.

So often human beings take that attitude which I mentioned a little while back, that somehow or other God works in such mysterious, hidden ways that human beings simply cannot understand. It is perfectly true that, on the basis of human function, as it has been on earth, human beings have not understood, but it is no credit to them that they stay in that condition. It certainly is not God's Will that human beings should not understand. You remember that the first creative act in the Beginning found focus in the Word of the Lord, “Let there be Light,” And there was Light! The Light shines in the darkness of human minds and hearts, and the darkness does not comprehend it, but that is not God's fault. That is the failure of human beings. God intended that human beings should see and understand, that the mystery of God, and all other mysteries, should be finished. So, while we may recognize, to start with, that we are in a state of darkness, and there may be a tendency to reiterate the question, “Why? Why? Why?” God is willing to show us why if we are willing to understand and comprehend the answer to the question. But we cannot understand and comprehend, we cannot perceive, if our hearts are filled with turmoil, with grief, with rebelliousness, or resentment or self-pity, or anything else in the nature of an ill spirit, an ill attitude. Heart must be still, and mind tranquil, before the Light can shine and understanding come, because there always is an answer, there always is a reason.

How often have you heard Uranda say that there is no such thing as an accident? There is always a reason. There are reasons for this particular accident. Certain investigations have been going on in relationship to it in order to determine what mechanical failure was involved. I was speaking to the Commander of the Naval Air Station in the Oakland Airport and he had an idea with respect to the cause, although it was, insofar as he was concerned, just a guess. But apparently, the conditions were just right for icing of the carburetor and that may have been a contributing factor to this particular accident. We can see such causes, such reasons. They can be found. But back of them all is the failure of human beings to be what they ought to be, to be what God created them to be. Nevertheless, for all things there is a cause, and in view of the fact that human beings are the way they are it seems that before they will begin to move in the direction in which they should go, under the influence of the Spirit of God, they must be compelled to do so.

We find ourselves faced with a certain compulsion. I found myself faced, particularly, with a very vivid compulsion. When Uranda was here with us in person he carried the primary responsibility in relationship to this Ministry, the development of it, the progress of it, the expansion of it. I shared with him those responsibilities. And in that pattern you know well enough that he had more than he could possibly do. Those of you who have had some association with that part of the pattern in which I serve, know that I have more, or had more, than I could possibly do. Now Uranda is no longer here in person. If there was more than two people could possibly do, how much more it is than one person do! But, of course, that is not entirely the point, because you share this Ministry, and it is not me alone. Uranda could not do it alone. He and I could not do it alone. I certainly cannot do it alone. But we are in position to do it together.

Over and over Uranda has emphasized that point, that it requires all of us together. It requires that we face up to our responsibilities, receive them, individually, personally, and discharge them in the Current of the Spirit. Perhaps I am in a position, compelled or forced into that position, of carrying primary responsibility. But it should be obvious that if Uranda could not carry it, and the two of us could not carry it alone, under these circumstances, now, l certainly cannot carry it without you, without all of us together, moving, living, expressing in the Current of the Spirit of God in the accomplishment of the Purposes of God on earth, and “the fulfilment,” as it is put in the Bible, “of the Scriptures.”

We have a job which we share, you and I together. We all depended a very great deal upon Uranda as a Leader, as a friend. In your experience with him, during the course of the time that you have known him, during the time that you have found him to be your friend and have accepted the reality of his Leadership, did you ever experience a time when he let you down? I do not think any one of you could rightly say you had. He never let you down. Do you think that in the situation in which we now find ourselves he is going to let us down? I don't. And if you think about it, I believe you will agree with me upon the point. He is not going to let you down. And God is trustworthy. We can trust God. We have proven that we could trust Uranda, some of us over long, long periods of time; many, many years. We came to know him for what he is, not because somebody said something to us, or explained something to us, or told us something, but because we ourselves began to know from within ourselves, because we ourselves began to experience the working of the Spirit, which he revealed and exemplified, in our own lives.

This evening I am speaking particularly concerning Uranda. We know that he was not alone in the outworking of this tragedy, but all of them—Uranda, Kathy, Al, Bill and Sharon—shared in that dedication which Uranda brought to focus and exemplified. They shared in the same Spirit, even the children, and I do not, when I speak of Uranda, separate, in my own mind, those who were with him at the time of the accident, so-called. They shared in the Ministry, they shared in that which has thus far tended to seem simply to be a tragedy, but is it going to remain that way? It need not do so, if we recognize that which devolves upon us in our several fields of individual responsibility. Are we going to let ourselves be compelled to do that which needs to be done? Obviously, that which needs to be done has not yet been done. If it had, there would be, or have been, no tragedy. It has not yet been done. Are we going to be compelled into the position whereby we may share in the doing of it?

You know, after that tragic outworking in our Master's Life, His disciples found themselves in a situation where they were compelled to something, under great pressure. We have spoken of it many times in our previous considerations, that it was not necessary that they should have been in the position of having to be compelled to something. I do not believe it should have been necessary for us. But, that is the way it seems to have proven to be. It is always easier to take the Way which God first provides, but if, by reason of human failure, wherever it may be, there is not that vibrancy of response to the Spirit of God which permits the individual to play his part, and that fullness of adequacy which is necessary, then, seemingly, the requirement of compulsion arises, not because God wants it that way, but because human beings insist upon having it that way. And then, when it occurs, human beings do not like it.

Did you ever remember hearing Uranda say, “Well, if you don't like it, you had better learn to like it”? If there is something here that we do not like, it would seem essential that we learn to like it, because it makes possible the fulfilment of the purposes for which Uranda came into the world. Isn’t that now what we want? That was his dedication, absolute dedication. You know it. You have seen it in action, some of you for many, many years. An absolute dedication to this one thing, the fulfilment of the Purposes of God on earth that the life of our LORD and KING might not have been in vain. Human beings have made it to be in vain thus far, but we would not share in prolonging such a pattern. We  would, rather, share in letting the fulfilment come, even though we find ourselves in the position of being compelled into it.

Just a few short days ago, these ones whom we loved so much were in position to work with us here on earth. They had, each one, a physical instrument for that purpose, just as we now have, and we rejoiced in their presence with us, perhaps at times taking some of that which was made available to us too much for granted. But, while we loved that which they made manifest on earth, that which we could see, that which we could touch and handle, that which was present with us, yet what was it that made the outer form meaningful? The Spirit within the form, the True Being manifesting through the form! The human body without the Spirit becomes meaningless. So, the human body, the physical body, the physical form, has meaning only to the degree that it is a means whereby the Spirit of God may be made manifest on earth, and the true Reality of individual Being revealed. And it was because of that revelation of Being that we were willing that our lives should be given into the Service of the Lord, under Uranda's leadership. It was a something to see, something made manifest by reason of the physical form, but that which gave meaning to the revelation of the Spirit of dedication was the True Being manifesting in the form. And do you think that that Being is any less a reality now than it ever was, just because the form is no longer there?

These loved ones have no form through which to manifest on earth, in an individual sense, any more. Do you think that Uranda's dedication to the Purposes of our KING are any less now than they were when he had a form on earth? How then, is the fulfilment of that purpose to be known? Through the forms, simply, which we provide for the manifestation of the same Spirit, the same Being, in the accomplishment of God's Purposes to on earth. We have begun to know and understand something of those Purposes, but human beings are so inclined to look at them as though they were afar off. Oh, yes, as long as Uranda was here, “Well, he'll do it. He'll carry us through. He's the leader. We’ll just follow along.” Do you think it could ever be done on that basis? Never! That has been emphasized over and over, because it requires a body of many members, a body dedicated as his individual body was dedicated, even as the body of Jesus was dedicated, just the same way. But it must be a body of many members, equally dedicated, equally inspired by the same Spirit, equally under the Control of the same Spirit, so that the works of God can begin to be done on earth.

What is it that reveals belief on Jesus Christ? “The works that I do shall ye do also, and greater works than these shall ye do, because I go unto my Father.” Human beings have professed to believe on Jesus Christ, century after century, but where are the works of God made manifest on earth? No. It can be done in God's Way, and in God's Way only, and that requires the instrument, the body, the means by which the Spirit of God's Love and the Spirit of God's Truth can be revealed and made manifest on earth in the vibrancy of the Spirit of His Life. That is God's Way, and no other way will work. Human beings have had plenty of time to prove it, and there isn’t very much more time.

So it is that we can begin to let our hearts and minds be stilled to the point where the possibilities, the potentialities, with respect to this situation as we find it, begin to come to focus so that we can see better, so that there may not only be Light—there always has been Light—but that we may see in the Light. I do not think that Uranda, Kathy, Al, and the children—or those whom we only knew as yet as children—are any less with us in this moment, in this hour, than they ever were. And there is that current of compulsion, which can, if we will let it, permit the fulfilment of that to which their lives were dedicated while they were with us in person, and are still dedicated while they are only with us in Spirit. Need it be a tragedy? I do not think so. If it causes the fulfilment of the Purpose to which our lives are dedicated, that is no tragedy, is it? That is what we are here for! We have the opportunity of sharing it, not only those who are here present within the sound of my voice, but Responding Ones of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.

God is so good to us, and when we begin to share in a true Spirit of dedication, there are no tragedies to us, because all things are caused to work together to perfection for those who love and serve the LORD, who are dedicated to Him. This is our opportunity, the opportunity of all who share with us in this Ministry today, and all who shall share with us in the days to come, that the Kingdom, the Control, the Design, of our LORD and KING, may be allowed to come on earth because human beings are willing to let it be so and have ceased to follow out their own fancies and ideas, but have yielded to the Spirit of the Living God, and are under the compulsion, under the control, of the Spirit of God—our opportunity, our privilege, that the lives of those who, until so recently, were being lived with us here on earth in outer form, may not be rendered meaningless, but may bring forth the fruit of the Kingdom of God on earth because we let it be so, that the Kingdom of our KING may come, that His Will may be done in earth as it is in Heaven, because we have come to realize that His is the Kingdom—not just out there somewhere, but in us and through us in the expression of life. And His is the Power—the Power by which His works are accomplished on earth as the means, the machinery, the instrument, takes form and lets it be so. And His is the Glory—the Glory of the revelation of the Spirit of Love, the Spirit of Truth, and the Spirit of Life on earth, the Glory of the LORD which should fill the temple and shine round about; for “His is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory, now and forever.” Aum-en.

Peace be unto you as you yield to the Spirit of God, ever present, that we may let that which I seems to be tragedy, evidence of failure, become a revelation of Victory, to the Glory of God and to the Blessing of all who will receive. God Bless you, each and every one.

© emissaries of divine light