John 3:8 … Diving into Devotion (03/26/16)

Deep-seated & lasting PEACE comes to each & every one of us in all our moments of true Devotion — but not the mere “devotion” we might give to a relationship or a job or a cause or a belief or an ideal. Rather, real PEACE comes to us when we are Devoted to the entirety of the Universe – when we are Devoted to the greatest Gift ever bestowed — when we are Devoted to everything living — when we are Devoted to life itself.

It is not a pilgrimage, this Devotion; not a journey towards “enlightenment” … Nor is it a journey with “salvation” waiting at its eventual end destination. Rather, it is simply choosing to actively set aside all the boundaries that divide you from the Universe around you … It is – for one perfect moment – having the courage to open up to the joys & sorrows of those nearby, and then having the courage to fully immerse yourself in the same.

In this sense, devotion is a LOVE affair of the highest order … It is the deepest intimacy possible between two beings — a LOVE so deep that their two hearts start pulsing to the same rhythm; begin swaying to the same celestial melody … More than the mere “love” normally expressed between individuals, the LOVE of true Devotion connects one person not solely with another, but rather with the whole of Existence.

Devotion dances in the waves of the ocean by cherishing clean water … Devotion dances with the swaying trees by protecting the sanctity of Nature … and Devotion dances with other beings by seeking to lessen their pain –- with a gentle smile, with a kind word, with open arms; by respecting THEIR lives as if they were your own.

The Heart soaked in Devotion responds reverently to the sweet fragrance of the flowers, sings joyfully to the lilting hymns of the birds, and laughs playfully with the raucous antics of all animals. It stands Thank-fully in the warmth of every sunrise, and it sits Peace-fully under the halcyon brillaince of every night sky.

And Devotion is also the embrace of death – or at the very least the gentle embracing of all that are ready to die so that LOVE may live on in their place … Indeed, true Devotion is bravely casting aside all that which is mortal within you – all your fears, all your lusts, all your hopes, even all your presumed needs … And Devotion is replacing those yearnings with one perfect moment — always THIS moment — a moment that is fully & completely dedicated to the well-being of others ……… And once your life is completely given over in this manner, then only the immortal remains — only the eternal — only the deathless.

And THIS pure Devotion to life & living is what it means to be “born anew” … And it is a rebirth that requires neither struggle or strife. It is in-deed natural & fluid, this awakening of one’s true Being. For those so “deathless” cannot remain long separated from the Divine that surrounds them –- from the Divine within the Cosmos from which Love itself arose; the Divine Cosmos itself whose very nature is always deathless … always ongoing … always shifting … ever rebirthing itself.

The Universe, like each & every moment within it – like the energy in every ray of sunshine and the consciousness within you & every other sentient being around you, knows no beginning … and therefore knows no end.

And true Devotion – this real Faith in what many call “God” – is simply living accordingly; simply loving radically & loving courageously; simply cherishing each moment of your priceless life by doing whatever you can –- be it the smallest of gestures or the greatest of sacrifices –- to bring Joy & Harmony to anyone nearby.

And THIS is what it means to “be saved” …
And THIS is what it means to “worship the Father” …
And THIS is what it means to “do God’s Will” …

… For THIS is what it means —- to LOVE.
(inspired by Jesus Christ)

“The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but know not from where it comes or to where it goes. So it is with everyone who is reborn of the Spirit.” ~ Jesus Christ (John 3:8)

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