Lesson 353
My eyes, my tongue, my hands, my feet today
have but one purpose: to be given Christ
to use to bless the world with miracles.
Practice Instructions
See complete instructions in a separate document. A short summary:
- Read the commentary paragraph slowly and personally.
- Pray the prayer, perhaps several times.
- Morning and evening: Repeat the idea and then spend time in Open Mind Meditation.
- Hourly remembrance: Repeat the idea and then spend time in Open Mind Meditation.
- Frequent reminders: Repeat the idea and then spend a quiet moment in meditation.
- Response to temptation: Repeat the idea whenever upset, to restore peace.
- Read the “What Is” section slowly and thoughtfully once during the day.
Practice suggestion: I enjoy going through the body parts listed in the lesson one at a time, and then adding on some other things at the end:
I give my eyes to Christ today, to use to bless the world with miracles.
I give my tongue to Christ today, to use to bless the world with miracles.
I give my hands to Christ today, to use to bless the world with miracles.
I give my feet to Christ today, to use to bless the world with miracles.
I give my time to Christ today, to use to bless the world with miracles.
I give my money to Christ today, to use to bless the world with miracles.
I give my car to Christ today, to use to bless the world with miracles.
Commentary
These last ten lessons (not counting the final one) represent the state of mind to which the Course seeks to bring us. In this lesson we see the final outworking of the Course’s thoughts about the body. Not that the body becomes ignored, despised, or neglected, but rather that its every part be used to bless the world with miracles. The body is not attacked or belittled; rather, it is given a new purpose, shared with Christ.
Father, I give all that is mine today to Christ, to use in any way that best will serve the purpose that I share with Him. Nothing is mine alone, for He and I have joined in purpose. (1:1-2)
In Heaven our function is creation, something that apparently we can’t quite fully understand until our mind awakens to Heaven, but here our function is the pure reflection of creation: the giving of miracles, the extension of forgiveness. We might say our function here is recognizing creation, since to forgive is to acknowledge our brother as God created him, and not as we have made him through the projection of our own guilt.
Let me, then, with all the determination I can muster, this day join myself with Christ’s purpose. Let me give my hands, my eyes, my tongue, my feet to Him. Why not silently pray and, very specifically, do exactly that? “Father, I give my hands to Christ today to be used only for the purpose I share with Him: to bless the world with miracles.” Then repeating the same thing for other parts of my body. Remember this thought through the day and renew your gift to Christ, calling your mind back to its true purpose every time you can remember.
Thus has learning come almost to its appointed end. A while I work with Him to serve His purpose. Then I lose myself in my identity, and recognize that Christ is but my Self. (1:3-5)
When we have reached the point where we truly have given everything we have to Him to be used for His purpose, we have almost completed the curriculum. All that is left is to stay a little while longer, serving His purpose, sharing the light with minds that still are clouded. This is almost descriptive of an avatar, an enlightened master who is on earth only to serve those not so far along.
When that time of service is over, I will “lose myself in my identity, and recognize that Christ is but my Self.” The ego self will dissolve and disappear; the individual will cease as a separate thing—which it never was in reality—and expand into the One Self of Christ. Nothing will be lost in this process except our separateness.
My heart, do not despair if this seems far beyond you now. It is much nearer than you dare believe. You are much more than you think you are. Simply, in gladness, give yourself to this purpose. The Holy Spirit will provide the means. Be willing simply to move in this direction, and do not judge how near or far you are, how easy or how difficult you think the way. Simply be willing for it to be. Be not anxious or restless if it seems to elude you; restlessness is only a delaying tactic. Rest, my heart. Trust. Angels watch with you, awaiting the birth of the Christ in you. Have no fear. Rejoice!