The idea for today is an extension of the previous one. You do not think
of light in terms of strength and darkness in terms of weakness. That is
because your idea of what seeing means is tied up with the body, and its
eyes and brain. This is why you believe that you can change what you see
by keeping little bits of glass or other clear material before your eyes
held in a frame or placed against the eye.
These are among the many magical beliefs that come from the conviction
you are a body, and the body’s eyes can see. You also believe the body’s
brain can think. If you but understood the nature of thought, you could
but laugh at this insane idea. It is as if you thought you held the
match that lights the sun and gives it all its warmth; or that you had
the universe imprisoned in your hand, securely bound until you let it
go. Yet this is no more foolish than to believe the body’s eyes can see;
the brain can think.
It is God’s strength in you that is the light in which you see, as it is
His Mind with which you think. His strength denies your weakness. It is
your weakness that sees through the body’s eyes, peering about in
darkness to behold the likeness of itself; the small, the weak, the
sickly and the dying, those in need, the helpless and afraid, the sad,
the poor, the starving and the joyless. These are seen through eyes
which cannot see and cannot bless.
Strength overlooks these things by seeing past appearances. It keeps its
steady gaze upon the light that lies beyond them. It unites with light,
of which it is a part. It sees itself. It brings the light in which your
Self appears. In darkness you perceive a self that is not there.
Strength is the truth about you; weakness is an idol falsely worshipped,
and adored that strength may be dispelled, and darkness rule where God
appointed that there should be light. Strength comes from truth, and
shines with light its Source has given it; weakness reflects the
darkness of its maker. It is sick and looks on sickness, which is like
itself.
Truth is a savior and can only will for happiness and peace for
everyone. It gives its strength to everyone who asks, in limitless
supply. It sees that lack in anyone would be a lack in all, and so it
gives its light that all may see, and benefit as one. Its strength is
shared, that it may bring to all the miracle in which they will unite in
purpose and forgiveness and in love.
Weakness, which looks in darkness, cannot see a purpose in forgiveness
and in love. It sees all others different from itself, and nothing in
the world that it would share. It judges and condemns, but does not
love. In darkness it remains to hide itself, and dreams that it is
strong and conquering, a victor over limitations that but grow in
darkness to enormous size. It fears and it attacks and hates itself, and
darkness covers everything it sees, leaving its dreams as fearful as
itself. No miracles are here, but only hate. It separates itself from
what it sees, while light and strength perceive themselves as one.
The light of strength is not the light you see. It does not change and
flicker and go out. It does not shift from night to day, and back to
darkness till the morning comes again. The light of strength is
constant, sure as love, forever glad to give Itself away, because it
cannot give but to Itself. No-one can ask in vain to share its sight,
and none who enters its abode can leave without a miracle before his
eyes, and strength and light abiding in his heart.
The strength in you will offer you the light and guide your seeing, so
you do not dwell on idle shadows that the body’s eyes provide for
self-deception. Strength and light unite in you, and where they meet
your Self stands ready to embrace you as Its own. Such is the meeting
place we try today to find and rest in, for the peace of God is where
your Self, His Son, is waiting now to meet Itself again, and be as One.
Let us give twenty minutes twice today to join this meeting. Let
yourself be brought unto your Self. Its strength will be the light in
which the gift of sight is given you. Leave, then, the dark a little
while today, and we will practice seeing in the light, closing the
body’s eyes and asking truth to show us how to find the meeting place of
self and Self, where light and strength are one.
After the morning meeting, we will use the day in preparation for the
time at night when we will meet again in hope and trust. Let us repeat
as often as we can the idea for today, and recognize that we are being
introduced to sight, and led away from darkness to the light where only
miracles can be perceived.