[acimlessons_list] Lesson 364 - December 30

[Susan Carrier]

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+ COMMENTARIES ON LESSONS FROM THE WORKBOOK OF A COURSE IN MIRACLES
+ by Allen Watson, with Practice Summaries by Robert Perry, 
+ of The Circle of Atonement
+ Visit our website at <http://www.circleofa.com <http://www.circleofa.com/>
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Lesson 364 - December 30


"This holy instant would I give to You. 
Be You in charge. For I would follow You, 
Certain that Your direction gives me peace."

PRACTICE SUMMARY

FINAL LESSONS

PURPOSE: To receive the gift that God promised His Son. To dedicate your
mind to following in the way of truth and leading your brothers there. To
forgive the world and so hasten the ending of the dream that God appointed.

MORNING/EVENING QUIET TIME: as long as needed

* Use the words only at the beginning, and only to remind yourself you are
trying to go beyond them.

* Leave the rest of the lesson to the Holy Spirit. Put Him in charge.
Whatever you need, be it a thought, a word, or stillness and tranquility, He
will give it to you.

HOURLY REMEMBRANCE

No specific instructions

FREQUENT REMINDER

No specific instructions

RESPONSE TO TEMPTATION

No specific instructions

COMMENTARY

The Epilogue echoes two of the themes of this final lesson: <following> the
Holy Spirit as our Teacher and Friend on the path, and the <certainty> of
our reaching the end of the path successfully.

"Your Friend goes with you. You are not alone" (W-EP.1:2-3). And, "You are
as certain of arriving home as is the pathway of the sun laid down before it
rises...Indeed, your pathway is more certain still" (W-EP.2:1-2).

The Epilogue makes it clear that even when we complete the Workbook and have
achieved the purpose it sets for us, having developed a daily habit of
giving our lives over to the direction of the Holy Spirit, we have only
begun our journey, and there is more to go. The path ahead may yet be long.
There will yet be difficulties along the way. Why else would Jesus emphasize
the certainty of the ending unless we thought we still had reason to doubt?

We are told this course is a beginning, not an end (1:1). We can expect
troubles (1:5) and problems (1:7). We will still be going through lessons,
although not the "specific" ones of the Workbook (3:1). "Efforts" will still
be required (3:3). We will experience "difficulty" and will still have times
in which we think that pain is real (4:1). We are still on the way to
Heaven, not there yet (5:4). We need guidance (5:5) so there must be
obstacles or a path that at times seems unclear. We are still on the road
towards home (5:7). "We will continue in His way" (6:2). Jesus says he will
never leave us without comfort, so comfort will still be needed.

I am pointing out all the indications that a major portion of our journey is
still ahead because we are so easily inclined to think otherwise; we get
impatient and want the journey to be over. The positive themes of this
Epilogue are designed to counteract the discouragement that may come over us
when we realize that there is a long way yet to go.

First, we have a Friend Who goes with us. A "Friend!" Has my experience with
the Workbook taught me that? The Holy Spirit is my Friend. Has my
interaction with Him been enough that He has earned my trust, "by speaking
daily to you of your Father and your brother and your Self" (4:4)? There are
such wonderful promises given to us here of His helpfulness. We cannot call
on Him in vain. He has the answers for everything we might ask, and He won't
withhold them. All we need to do is ask. He speaks to us of what we "really
want and really need" (2:4). "He will direct your efforts, telling you
exactly what to do, how to direct your mind, and when to come to Him in
silence, asking for His sure direction and His certain Word." (3:3).

We do not need to worry about the length or complexity of our journey. We
have a Guide. The Workbook is not the journey; it is a training camp that
prepares us for it, introduces us to our Guide, and teaches us to trust Him.
By doing the Workbook we have learned how reliable and knowledgeable He is;
now, we are ready to set out on the journey itself, walking with Him in
confidence that He knows how to bring us home.

(Tomorrow I will discuss the second theme, that of the certainty of arriving
home.) 
 
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+ Commentary by Allen Watson
+ Practice Summary: Robert Perry
+ Available in book format from The Circle
+ of Atonement (Vol. 1 reprint due by end of 2004, write us for info)
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