In the course of human evolution there comes an ever-expanding understanding of the One Power, One Presence, One Activity we call God, the Good, Omnipotence. Our understanding of God as a judgmental, superhuman ruler shaping the individual lives of humankind has expanded.  Many of us have grown to understand God as the absolute wholeness of Beingness; not All-Powerful, but ALL-POWER. Not loving, but the ESSENCE OF LOVE. NOT a patriarchal entity but a Mother, Father, Everything God in which (as the apostle Paul tells us), we Live, Move and Have Being.

As we grow to understand God as Spirit, as Jesus foretells in his conversation with the Samaritan woman, our understanding of the covenant between God and humankind must also expand. In this three part series, Seekers of the Lost Ark we will explore the mystical significance of the Ark and the Ten Commandments or “agreements” which it contains.

As we look to the deeper meaning of the words engraved upon the tablets we discover that they are more than a list of “shoulds” and “should nots”. Although still relevant today as rules for living together in harmony, an expanded understanding reveals another dimension to the words. They are in fact the “Blessings” of a Mother, Father, Everything God, the very source of our being. Much as a biblical father would bestow his blessing upon a son venturing beyond his father’s house, Spirit bestows upon us these spiritual blessings.

The blessings of Spirit begin with the words, “I AM the Lord YOUR God, you shall have no false gods before me.” I AM is a reference to God’s name, “I AM that I am”… unlimited, infinite possibility, the pure presence of beingness that cannot be limited to a single name. I AM the Lord YOUR God. I AM the essence of life and I am YOURS; personal, immanent, indwelling. Nothing false, nothing that lies before you or outside of you shall have power over YOUR God, the God that dwells within you. This is a blessing. This empowers us to live without fear knowing that there is One Power, One Presence, One Activity that permeates all of life and dwells within us.

This first blessing is then reinforced with the words, “you shall make no carved or engraved images of anything.” In other words, no image, no imagined thing that you engrave in the world shall have power over you. You cannot limit the power of Spirit by creating in your mind or in your life a limited image of what is infinite… try as you might. Another blessing.

“You shall not take the name of the Lord YOUR God in vain.” As a child I understood this to mean I should not swear or curse. And although there is great benefit in keeping our words pure and positive, this statement also blesses us. “You shall not,” means you will not, you cannot call on God in vain. God knows your needs and your desires before you know them yourself. When you call on God it is never in vain, for your prayer, no matter how stated, is heard and answered before you even ask.

You are blessed because God dwells within the mystical ark of your heart. Your work, is to know your oneness in Spirit and then be blessed once again by resting into the Sabbath of the pure presence of being; to Let Go and Let God be expressed through you and as you.

Intrigued? Be sure to read part 2 coming soon as we explore how more of the covenants between God and humankind are blessings upon us.

© 2015 Rev. Eileen Patra