Some Reflections

“Man is the reflection of God; but the reflection cannot exist without the object reflected; so man must know what God is, if he would know himself. This has been the search down the ages and this search must be made by every individual for himself.” Paramananda

 

Quite a heady quote isn’t it? Of all the relationships that exist it is perhaps our relationship with God that has the most individualized meaning. God is an intangible object. We can’t see him/her or hear him/her. We can’t chat on a website with him/her. We know God through the words of others. We know God in our hearts. The important thing is to be able to distinguish between the word of God and the words that others try to put into God’s mouth. How do we know that we are really hearing God?

 

If we take that God is the Creator then it would make sense that the word of God would be the words that are positive in meaning. God would want what is best for his/her creations. Even if you take the biblical story of Noah and the flood literally then God promised that he would not destroy his creations again.

 

If the words that are coming out of a religious leader’s mouth are words of hatred and destruction then I would say those are the words of the devil not God. A simplistic definition is God is love. If God is the Creator and is the power of good and love then the opposite would have to be the devil who is the hater and the force of evil.

 

Each of us in life searches for the meaning of our existence. Why are we here? What am I suppose to accomplish in this life? Who am I? If man is a reflection of God and is made in his image then that would mean all men regardless of race, color, creed, religion, political beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, or any of the other factors that divide people are God’s people. A scientist was once quoted as saying,  “God doesn’t make junk.” If we are indeed a reflection of God then all of us are his creatures. That would mean that divisions between us in the grand scheme of things are not important.

 

It only takes a look at history and indeed the present times to see that too much death and destruction has occurred in God’s name. I think God has been used by many people to justify their actions when the truth is that they are doing the work of the devil instead. Satan is the Father of Lies. He can make a very persuasive case for the most atrocious actions of man. If man isn’t careful he can believe that it is God talking to him instead of Satan.

 

For me knowing God is finding that quiet place within and listening to the silence there. I feel God’s presence in my life. I feel his guidance and his/her love. To know yourself is to know that you are God’s creature.  I may not always do the right thing but I try. I know that I am human and I make errors. I also know that even if I mess up that God’s love for me will never change. Even when I was angry and hurt and blaming God I was not abandoned. When I let God into my heart I let him in for good. He/she will not let me down because flawed as I am he/she loves me. That makes my life worth living right there.