The Still Waters

All Our Right Places

July 2003

"In my father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."  (John 14: 2).

"….Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever."  (Genesis 13 : 14 Lift, 15).

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."  (Luke 12: 32).

         'Place' is a concept that has many meanings. In an individual lifetime, one can hold many places, and many forms of place. For example, we begin our human journey by being placed in a family. Then, as a child venturing out into the world, we add to this our place in school, our place in a neighborhood, possibly a place in some field of sports. Continuing into adulthood, we seek to find our places in a career field, our own dwelling places, our places in church communities, special interest groups, the list goes on. We soon learn that no one, human place can ever satisfy our need for the continuous unfoldment of a new "right" place.

         It's so easy to feel out of place (or not in our "right" place) in a particular job, family, or house. In a job position, we aspire to what is termed our 'highest and best use.' If our talents and abilities are being wasted or not used, however, we naturally feel devalued. Also, as a member of a family, we wish to be loved and respected as an individual. If unloving behavior toward us and discord is the rule, however, our sense of being in our right family place is threatened. Similarly, if we've outgrown our house, apartment, or living arrangements, we rightfully need to find a new dwelling place that better fits our needs. Thus, from a human standpoint, finding all our right places can be a real challenge. We can often be in more than one wrong place or situation at any given point in time.

         All of this suggests that, over the years, coordinating all these places can be a recurring battle. We might just have straightened out one aspect of our lives, only to find another failing to meet our needs. When this pattern becomes clear, it's time to spiritualize our whole view of who we are, and where we are in the scheme of things. It's time to awaken to the spiritual order of things, under the divine government of God, which knows no lapses from harmony, nor need to restore it. It's time to find our one and only spiritual place in God's divine family, kingdom, and harmony; for in doing so, we find the intelligence and wisdom of God adequate to do what we, humanly, can't do--make everything fit. It's time to admit we're not in control of any of our "places"--and never really were.

         Sometimes it's so wise to take a few moments just to contemplate the divine Intelligence of the Creator, who was able to form the universe, and know every identity created. This infinite Mind alone has launched every celestial body into its orbit, given each individual his and her own qualities different from every other creature, and knows each of us, in ways we, currently, can't even fathom. The Bible tells us, "…the very hairs of your head are all numbered."   (Matthew 10:30). Is that precision, or what?

         Sit beside the ocean or a lake on a quiet, summer night and feel the rhythm of the universe, underlying any noise or distractions around you. Notice the regularity of the tides, planet rotations, the invisible magnetic fields of the celestial bodies. See the purpose of the sun and the moon, as they relate to life on planet earth. Then ask yourself, "Did I have any part in this? Did I help plan these tides, or make sure the seasons are brought forth the same time each year? If Jupiter doesn't slip out of it's God-ordained place in the divine, order and harmony, can I?"

         The only reason we run around in a state of anxiety, worrying about never finding our right job or income situation, our right mate, or our right housing "mansion" is this: we believe we've been separated from our divine Source and the Intelligence that's running the whole show. That's it. We believe that, although our solar system is still under some kind of divine rhythm and control that is acting through cosmic laws, we've escaped divine detection. If God created us as part of Its universal harmony, then we got away! So now we're on our own, to make our own way, find our own place in the material realm where God can't find us to help us, or doesn't want to.

         Yet, when we realize that God is the divine Intelligence that is within the consciousness of everyone and every living thing in creation, we find our link is still intact. The divine Intelligence IS present with us, within the core of our own being. The all-seeing, all-knowing consciousness doesn't have to use the telephone to call us, nor have our current email address to reach us. It's within us. It can speak to us any time, as that peaceful voice within. God isn't separated from any thing or any one It has created. It's exactly as this psalm of David describes:

         "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."   (Psalm 139: 7-12).

         God will never leave us, since we can't get God out of our very consciousness. Ignorance of that divine fact doesn't alter the truth of it. This link in consciousness is Emmanuel--God with us. We are at one with this divine Intelligence that stays in touch. God is the infinite Mind which holds all its creatures within Itself and controls all placement, all orbits, all paths. In spiritual truth, each of us has our own place in God's family, our place in God's provision, our own place in God's divine purpose, and our place in the resulting harmony of divine Love's control over all.

         This was brought home to me, many years ago, when I was becoming agitated about not finding my right career place. In my twenties, I'd had a teaching job while my husband was in the Air Force. I loved the job, but had to leave it when we moved to the next base. Even after we left the service, I found it impossible to find a teaching position, because there were so many applicants. So, I worked as a substitute teacher, always being told my name was way down on the list.

         After about three years, I began to give up the whole idea that I had to find my right job place. Instead, I was growing in the conviction that God had given place and purpose to everything and everyone in creation, so I shouldn't have to struggle to find my own place, in any aspect of my life. Since the divine Intelligence could hold the celestial bodies of the universe in their place and orbits, It could hold me in mine. If I was living in God's complete, minute by minute care, then I was already in my right place in the divine Mind, in all the aspects of 'place' my life included.

         I realized that, as God's daughter, I was in the only place I could really occupy: my place in God's family and creation, where each one of us is a part of the divine balance and harmony. Being in this spiritual, forever place, no human manifestation of my place could be missing. In other words, my spiritual place could always be materialized in the way God's purpose dictated, so I'd be doing 'my highest and best use' work, according to what God knew of me. If this place was in the field of education, so be it. If my true, God-known place was elsewhere, so be it. I would accept the divine Intelligence over my own human sense of things. I immediately felt the weight slip off my shoulders.

         Shortly after that mental turning point, I was on a week's assignment teaching English and French at a junior high school. On the last day of the week, while driving home, a soft voice in consciousness seemed to be telling me to turn at a certain stop light. I did so, and up ahead was the school board office. I felt a strong impulse to drive into the parking lot. As I sat there, the thought came to me to go in and tell them I really liked this assignment. Again, I obeyed this directive, even though I thought it wouldn't help my position on the list of applicants (about 200 ahead of me).

         Inside, I didn't know who to talk to; so I told the counselor behind the desk that I really enjoyed this teaching assignment, and then I turned to go. She asked me to wait a moment, and she left her desk. She then came back and asked me to step into the director's office. As I sat down, the director asked me if I, possibly, had an English major and a French minor in my background. I said yes. The director told me they'd been searching for over a year for someone to take that position, but couldn't find anyone with those two qualifications. She then sent for my application file, and found that my transcripts had been lost. That's why I'd never been called. After a quick trip home to get new copies of my transcripts, I was hired on the spot, and became the regular teacher the next Monday.

         What I learned from this experience is that, once I'd given up my own attempts at placement and left the matter to the divine Intelligence within, this all-seeing, all-knowing Mind knew how to direct me to the right place at the right time to secure a position suited for me. I then understood how knowing the truth about my right spiritual place in God's creation and family would always result in being directed to a right human place for me. I've come to trust God also, as my divine Parent, who created me, and thus knows me better than I know myself. God alone knows my individuality, and what things and places DO suit me best. This is the same for everyone. Every individual child of God is unique to the Creator. Allowing the divine intelligence, wisdom, purpose and love of God to direct us, we can't ever be left to any human "wrong" places.

         As with any demonstration over fear, we need to remember that faith in the unseen omnipotence of God will result in a peacefulness, displacing all anxiety. If this peacefulness isn't felt, doubt and fear are still convincing us of God's absence and our separation from this divine Intelligence, which is the Source of all good to us. That's why spiritual understanding is more important than blind faith. Blind faith can still leave us afraid. Understanding the ever-presence and power of God, still abiding within us, reminds us that we were never separated from God's love and care for an instant, and all is well. We can trust in God's love for us. Christ Jesus said, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."  (Luke 12: 32). This kingdom includes all the places we can ever need. Spirit is still all-in-all to us, and all our places are safe in God's keeping, who wants only the best for us.