You are the Manifest Government of the KING
from The Reality of the Kingdom
Uranda August 29, 1953
Once more we come to the close of another week, for a moment of meditation. It is a joy to share this hour with you after the intensive period we have had here, the past two weeks; our school term drawn to a close and the review and Conference period completed successfully; and only today several carloads of people departed; and even so, we have here a goodly congregation, and it rests in our hands, it remains our responsibility to hold the Pattern clear for those who go forth into the field, that they may feel and know the supporting Current of the Spirit of God working through us at all times.
Considering this subject which Martin has presented—I heard such brief portion of it—with respect to the moment of rest, of our gathering together, that moment of rest such as the heart takes in relationship to each pulse beat, that moment of rest in the cycle between the inflow and the outflow; and it was suggested that this gathering together is such a moment of rest, and I see it so with respect to the week that comes to a close and the new week which begins. And it has always seemed to me to be such a blessed thing that here on Sunrise Ranch we have the privilege of letting our week come to a close with an hour of meditation together, and then with the beginning of each new week to share in spiritual consideration and dedication, the opening of the new out-flowing cycle, the action of another week. In this we see a sharing in the creative patterns of God which we have been studying together here for this past period of time. And as these things have been shared, many factors have been coming clear, coordination of mind and heart, a deeper recognition of the wholeness of the pattern of God, with all of the parts fitting into place. As a result of this experience which we have shared, coming to point, we find that the reality of the Kingdom of Heaven which is at hand is becoming clearer. The idea theoretically has been accepted over a considerable period of time, for all of us here, different periods of time, and the acceptance of that idea has permitted our coming together and being here on Sunrise Ranch in this moment.
There has been a deepening realization that it is not merely the acceptance of an idea, a concept, or a belief. It is the actual development of the awareness of the fact, the beautiful truth, that it is so. And as we share this experience, in the vivid recognition that it is so, we begin to act on a new basis—our thoughts stem from a new source, a clearer centering in God; our words and actions take on the characteristics of that truth which we have seen more vividly as being absolute fact, not something merely to be believed, but to see it as being so. You have heard me many times make reference to the Master’s Gospel: the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. And you have received it in awareness, in consciousness, in belief, but it has been a comparatively slow process of coming to a recognition of the fact, of waking up to the point, “Why yes, it is so. It is.” To accept the idea is one thing, and to wake up to the fact that it is so, is a different thing.
I suppose it can be said that everyone here, having shared these past weeks and months, has a little sense of tiredness, a little need to relax and rest, and no doubt that is why Martin selected his subject—and it is well that we should do so. I am not objecting, as long as we remember that there are innumerable, thousands and tens of thousands, beyond those who have been here with us in person during this summer, beyond those who would have loved to come and who are aware of Sunrise Ranch, who are in actual fact, day-by-day and every hour through the day, depending on us—they don’t know it, but they are. I had my attention called to a situation of a psychiatrist—I haven’t had a chance to read the article yet; perhaps some of you have—but apparently it is in the current issue of Colliers. I do not know the man’s name, I’ve only heard a little, but that little indicates that he has reached the point of awareness where his approach as a psychiatrist, one of the leading men in the field in the United States, is shaping to a very high degree with that which we have been sharing here. He does not yet have a full consciousness of all factors apparently, but it is shaping to that, and here it comes to our attention; and his own expression proves his alignment of thoughts, to some degree at least, with that which we have been sharing. As this is so and the pattern holds steady, he and untold thousands and tens of thousands of others, who have been and are responding, will be given the opportunity to clear through to a full awareness of that which is involved in our Ministry.
It is good for us to remember, especially when we begin to feel a little weary, especially when we feel the need of a little rest, it is so good for us to remember that our responsibilities continue on unabated. We can rest and fulfill those responsibilities—up to a point that is, we can rest—but it requires constant alertness in relationship to the pattern of right living, right function, and always the pressures of the unreal world are seeking to come in upon those who become thoughtless, who are unwary, who lose their alertness, and out of that springs tragedy. Our work is not limited to the manifestation of blessings; it contains that, and in reality that is our primary work, but we need also to remember that it is through alertness, even when we are weary, alertness, and awareness that we have the responsibility of preventing tragedy. Out of thoughtlessness, out of the lack of alertness, out of a failure to have awareness, come those things which are called accidents, those things which have in them the seeds of tragedy, of suffering and sorrow and misery; and how many hundreds of thousands of people there are who are living out their span of life under the load of some tragedy—perhaps an automobile accident, perhaps some experience which penetrated so deeply, physically, mentally and emotionally, that, without help at least, they cannot emerge out of the pattern of that tragedy. And if because we slumber spiritually such tragedies appear, then we share the responsibility. We cannot afford the responsibility of tragedy.
We need to remember that no matter what seems to be pressing in, in the field of experience, it is for us to remain emotionally tranquil, spiritually centered, mentally alert, physically alive. And let us remember with respect to those things which might seem to be cause for violating this pattern—if we are doing something, if our presence here has any meaning, then the adversary will seek somehow to disrupt and destroy it. If then those elements in the world pattern which do not acknowledge the reality of the Kingdom or of the KING, do take notice of our endeavor, it is a compliment, and we should receive it so—not to become disturbed, upset, to violate our own Pattern, but to recognize the compliment; that slipping in somehow, whether it be the tendency for wrong patterns to manifest in young or old, whether it be for adversity or difficult circumstance, let us remember that if we were doing nothing, there would be no opposition. And if the factors of opposition tend to arise enough to be noticed, let us receive the compliment with good grace, and remain serene and tranquil in spirit, emotionally stable, mentally centered, physically alive.
When the Current of Power is pulsing outward in a manner which demands our attention by the very force of its nature, it seems to the human mind and heart to be comparatively easy to remain centered, faithful and true. But when there is that moment of rest, there is a tendency to be off guard, and when the inflowing phase of the cycle is at work, there is a tendency to feel that nothing is being done, a tendency to feel that we can somehow let down, and if we do, vibrationally speaking—Oh we can rest, but if we let down vibrationally speaking, there will be those things which tend to enter in as distractions, various wonderings and questionings, uncertainties tend to appear, and the enemy can take ten thousand different shapes, appear in ten thousand different ways—and then it is that we begin to be aware of our quality. When one is in the state of being carried along on the crest of the wave, there is that exhilarating moment when all else is more or less forgotten, and the distractions do not penetrate into the realm of awareness in consciousness, but then the crest passes, the cycle moves into the quiescent aspect, and suddenly, the mind relaxed and the heart somewhat stilled begins to be aware of those distracting points which spoke with too small a voice to have been heard before, during the moment of the exhilarating upsurge in life. Then what do we do? When the nagging little distractions have a chance to make themselves heard and known, then what do we do? Become irritated with them and violate our own pattern of being, or do we remain serene in spirit, tranquil in heart, centered in mind, and alive in body, so that we treat the distractions according to their true nature, not allowing them to be magnified out of all proportion, not forgetting the larger thing which we have known and for which you are there? We maintain the conscious awareness of the fact that the Kingdom is at hand. These little distractions may have to be dealt with in some fashion, as one might shoe fly from one’s arm, but not to become subject to the fly or the distraction.
To come back to that moment of deeper realization when it is as if one is awakening, and one had been hearing from afar off the words: the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand … the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand … the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand … the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. And then to really wake up, and say, “Yes, it is! It’s not just a dream. It is at hand! It really is!” And we are surprised that it really is. We’re surprised that it really is. We had heard it. The idea had been there. Do any of you know what I’m talking about? That moment of surprised awakening when you find that it isn’t just a dream, just an idea, but it really is. That is the moment of Illumination—and if you have not known it, I trust you will before long, that you will very soon, for then you find out the Way is easy, and these little distractions which have for the time being been set aside can be dealt with, but they do not become like the penny that shuts out the sun when held too close to the eye. They are seen for what they are, dealt with on the basis of what they are, and we keep right on living, right on moving in the path of noble men and women, right on proving dominion—for again, one comes at last to that point of Illumination, the moment of awakening. “Dominion? Why yes, it is so! It means supremacy; supremacy over all these things.” And instead of the little distractions being magnified out of all proportion, suddenly they shrink in size, they shrink down and they become so little—and dominion means the actuality, the reality in personal experience, the reality of actual supremacy. But the human being in the ordinary pattern comes face-to-face with some such thing, and there is no dominion, he becomes subject to it, and to him it looks like some tremendous thing. He does not know supremacy. But that same human being, having come at last to the point of Illumination, and that surprised, amazing moment of awakening to the fact that this is it. “It is so. The Kingdom is at hand. It actually is.” And that there is supremacy, dominion. And lo, that same individual comes face-to-face with that same distraction, and it isn’t any longer such a big thing; it’s just a little thing down there. We’ll take care of it. We’ll do something about it. But there is supremacy—because, as a citizen of the Kingdom, as a man or a woman, filled with the Shekinah Pattern of Being, we are bigger and greater than that thing. We’ll do something about it. It is not that it is going to be left untouched—but we are bigger than that.
What is the thing that is bigger than you are? How many things are bigger and greater than you are? Let’s see if we can name them. At the head of the list: God. In the Pattern of God: our KING. In relationship to our KING: the welfare and reality of the Kingdom, which includes the Divine Purpose, the Divine Design, the reality of Divine Control. God, the KING, and the Kingdom, and the Purpose of the Kingdom, the Plan of the Kingdom—these things are greater than I am. These things are greater than you are. But let us see now. What else is greater? Now there may be some things greater than you are, according to your idea. But as far as I am concerned, let’s see—God: God is greater than I am; the KING: the KING is greater than I am; the Kingdom, and the purposes of the Kingdom: those things are greater than I am. Is there anything else greater than I am? I don’t think so. If I am a part of these four things, what of the problems, what of the questions, what of the distractions, the ideas, the concepts, the beliefs, the pressures of the unreal world? What is greater than you are?
Do you share with me the conviction that God is greater than you are, that the KING is greater than you are, the Kingdom is greater than you are, and the Purpose of the Kingdom is greater than you are? But what else is greater than you are? Really? What else? Is there anything, outside of those four? And they are all related, all really One thing. What else is greater than you are? Can you name a problem? Can you name a disease, a difficulty, a circumstance—what is greater than you are? If you acknowledge that which is really greater than you are, and you are a part of that, you may have to face these other things, look at them, deal with them, but they are not greater than you are. If that is so, they are not greater than you are—you are greater than they are. Doesn’t that follow? It must follow, in logic. If they, all of these things which seem to the human mind to be so big and complicated and difficult, such mountains—either you are greater than they are, or they are greater than you are. Which is it?
If you are citizen of the Kingdom, and you have really had that Illumination, the moment of vivid realization, when one awakes to the fact that, “Yes, it really is so. It really is, now! I can hardly believe it, but it is so. I’ve had the idea but … but this is different. It is so.” And then, if you are a part of that, these other things are not greater than you are, then you are greater than these other things, and you can face these other things, not with arrogance or smug self-righteousness, not with bravado—Oh no—but with the quiet dignity of the absolute assurance that God is greater than that thing is, whatever it is over there. Take a good look at it—that problem, that difficulty, that thing that used to … “You mean, there was a time when I was actually afraid of that; there really was?” God is bigger and greater than that thing is. My KING is bigger and greater than that thing is. And the Kingdom of God is really here, and it is greater than that thing is. And the Plan and Purpose of God, it is bigger and greater than that thing is. And I am a part of all of this. The quiet dignity of the absolute knowing within yourself—“I am bigger than that thing is. I am not going to fall down and worship it. I am not going to turn my heels and run from it. In fact, strange as it may seem, I am not even afraid of it.” Why? Perfect love has cast out all fear. And one wonders, “There was a time when I was actually afraid of that, and now I have the supremacy over it. It is subject to me because I am subject to God—and if I were subject to that, I certainly wouldn’t be subject to God, would I now?”
So, what is the fact of the case? Are we subject to God, or not? Are we subject to the KING, or not? Are we subject to the Kingdom, or not? Are we subject to the Purpose of the Kingdom, or not? Those are the questions. And if we are subject to God, and all of that which connects us with God—the purpose of the Kingdom, the Kingdom itself, and the KING, all connecting us up with God, and we are subject to God, then it doesn’t make any difference if it’s some kind of an emotional weakness that once was, or some kind of an idea, or a concept, a belief about oneself or someone else—it doesn’t make any difference what it is, there begins to be a realization, “I am a man, or a woman, as the case may be, a citizen of the Kingdom, and I am bigger than that thing is.” Not arrogance, not egotism—a simple willingness to acknowledge the fact, the truth, that it is so.
And if we live and move and have our being in that realization of nobility and dignity, even though we rest, we are aware, we are alert, and we know that which is so—and we are not controlled by all the seeming things; and we are not afraid that somehow, if we really let go in the Kingdom we are going to be cheated out of something. We look back at our old fears that something was going to be taken away, that we were going to be cheated, that God was out to cheat us somehow. Look at it. Look out in the world. Everywhere you turn there are people who are afraid God is going to cheat them if they are not careful. Have you ever had that feeling—that if you didn’t really watch God closely He was going to cheat you out of something? You might have to stand up and make yourself known a bit, or God was going to cheat you? But now you know that there is no such a danger; that was just an imaginary danger; it’s one that doesn’t exist; and so many seeming dangers are purely imaginary. But some of them aren’t imaginary. Some of them are created in the world all around, some by good, earnest, sincere people who think that they’re rendering God a service by attempting to disrupt or destroy our Service.
But who is the biggest? Who is the greatest? The citizen of the Kingdom, or the denizen of the devil’s dark domain? Can we, then, afford to live? Can we, then, be trusted to hold the line. Sometimes people say something to the effect, “I’ve just been holding the line the best I could. It’s been an awful pressure. I think I ought to be really complimented because I’ve certainly been having a lot of difficulty holding the line—but I’ve held the line!” Is that the way to hold the line? No! That’s not really holding the line. The real thing, when it comes out, is a quiet, relaxed, beautiful, stability that simply knows that God, our KING, His Kingdom, and the Purposes of His Kingdom are greater than all other things, individually or collectively, separately faced or in combined formation. And we are a part of what—the means by which God acts, or that thing upon which God acts; the means of action, or the thing acted upon? Which are we? And once we are sharing the reality of citizenship, and we are the means by which the Kingdom is made manifest and the KING is permitted to act, all is well.
Let us see it for just a moment in relationship to an earthly kingdom. Suppose some agent, representative, or ambassador, or one who represents the Queen of England, someone going out into some part of the Domain to represent the Queen and her government—that person who so represents has a deep appreciation of the Queen and the Queen’s government; and so, in that position, as far as that place and time is concerned, he is the government of the Queen, at that point, under that circumstance. He, in that place and under that circumstance is the government of the Queen, regardless of the House of Lords or anything else, he in that place is the government of the Queen—period! And if that representative is functioning correctly in the pattern of world government, that whole government is back of that representative; and in the attitude of the individual who so represents there is probably something of the spirit, the assurance—sometimes in the earthly pattern, perhaps it becomes arrogance; it shouldn’t, but sometimes maybe it does. The point here is: If you are a citizen of the Kingdom, a representative of the King, then in the place where you are, meeting that situation, whatever it may be, wherever it may be, you are the manifest Government of the KING—and if you are true to your KING and the Kingdom, then your conduct in that situation represents truly the KING and His Government, which we call the Kingdom: the Government of the KING.
Now, what is bigger than the KING? What here on earth, what problem, what situation, what difficulty is bigger than the KING and His Government, bigger than God? If you think there are some things bigger than God, the KING, the Kingdom and the Purpose of the Kingdom, please let me know what they are. Write them out, list them for me, and hand it to me. Then, if you are what you are supposed to be, you are, in the moment, in relationship to those problems which come before you, in the discharge of your own true responsibilities, you are the Government of the KING—and that’s that! And you have been called to be manifestations of His Majesty’s Government on earth. You have been called to represent, and in fact be, manifestations of His Majesty’s Government. So let it be, now and forever.
© Emissaries of Divine Light
