God’s Not a Cosmic Bellboy!
I spend a lot of time talking to people about creating their futures and manifesting their destinies. More and more we also get into the topic of petitionary prayer.
Unfortunately we often have to do a bit of de-programming. Some of the popular accounts of prayer and also of the Law of Attraction seem to promise people that all that they have to do is pray or visualize and God/The Universe will cough up whatever they want.
It doesn’t quite work like that!
Once they understand the underlying principles, they usually start to make rapid progress.
Depending on my audience, I sometimes like to use this quote:
“God is not a cosmic bellboy for whom we can press a button to get things.”
–Harry Emerson Fosdick (American Clergyman, Writer and Broadcaster, 1878-1969)
What You Believe
“What you believe you are determines your gifts.”
–A Course in Miracles (Book of Spiritual Principles Scribed by Dr. Helen Schucman between 1965 and 1975, and First Published in 1976)
A Wise Coordination in Expression
“Aim at a wise coordination in expression, that will enable the God within to manifest for the aiding of the world.”
–Alice A. Bailey (English Writer, Spiritual Teacher and Founder of the Arcane School, 1880-1949)
Nature’s Expression of Thoughts and Ideas
“In fact, every organic form which we see around us is Nature’s expression of various thoughts and ideas. These thoughts and ideas are representative of Spiritual qualities.”
–“Zolar” (a.k.a. Bruce King American Astrologer, 1897-1976)
“Zolar’s Encyclopedia of Ancient and Forbidden Knowledge.” (Zolar)
Clarity and Consistency
“If one asks for success and prepares for failure, he will get the situation he has prepared for. For example: A man came to me asking me to speak the word that a certain debt would be wiped out. I found he spent his time planning what he would say to the man when he did not pay his bill, thereby neutralizing my words. He should have seen himself paying the debt.”
–Florence Scovel Shinn (American Artist, Metaphysics Teacher and Author, 1871-1940)
Expressing the Divine Mind
“The world is the thought of God, the expression of the Divine Mind.”
–Annie Besant (English Social Reformer, Fabian, Theosophist and Leader in the Movement for Indian Independence, 1847-1933)
The Garment of God
“Nature is the living, visible garment of God.”
–Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (German Poet, Playwright and Philosopher, 1749-1832)
“The Encyclopedia of Religious Quotation” (Frank S., ED. Mead)
Your Biggest Adventure
“The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”
–Oprah Winfrey (American Television Personality and Philanthropist, 1954-)
The Abundance of God
“The abundance of God is like a mighty ocean, so vast you cannot possibly exhaust it or cause a shortage for others. You can go to this inexhaustible ocean with only a small cup and bring away only that small cup of bounty and blessing. Or, if you have faith enough, you can take a bucket and bring away a bucketful. It makes no difference to the ocean. Nor does it matter how often you go. Abundance is always there.”
–Henry Thomas Hamblin (English Optician who Founded the Science of Thought Review, later known as New Vision, based on the principle of Applied Right Thinking, 1873-1958)
Acting On Your Dreams
“Everyone has dreams. But it is what you do with these dreams that is important. Dreams, once you make the decision to act on them can become reality.”
–Glynis Nunn (Australian Heptathlete, 1960-)
