I was just eating a bowl of Life with some Fruit, while watching a portion of the movie, “The Adjustment Bureau.” For those of you who haven’t seen it or heard about it, a Supreme Being of sorts is engineering everyone’s life according to plan, using angels to make sure that everyone is following their prescribed paths in life. It’s a “life-like” form of predestination, which states that everything that happens in the universe, in every way, shape and form, has been authored by God. You’ll have to excuse me if I seem a little distracted this morning. Some of the newbie Lilies are sticking their hands into a small spotlight, making imaginary figures on the wall. Crocodile mouths and bunny ears. No big deal. It’s just harmless fun. Kids at play. . .and I guess it was meant to be.
Everything in the universe, even a movie with an interesting premise, in some way is an image of the Truth. . . but not the Truth itself. Everything is a shadow, created by the wonderful intellect of man, sticking his hand into God’s business, entering the Light with fingers formed into the shape of an eagle, flying across the wall of his mind. And it’s all perceived as real, with the sweet ignorance of a child, energized by a faith that believes in the dark. The angels call it , “Night Visions.” It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but it reminds me of my car rides on the way to work every morning, back in the 70’s. My first real experience with shadows on the wall.
I would smoke some weed before my ride downtown. Just enough to turn the dimmer switch up on the light in my brain. I can’t tell you how many enlightened thoughts would arrive on the wall of my mind. Pillars of truth. I thought I was creating new ideas, unknown to man. Godly thoughts. There was a tape recorder kept in the car to preserve it all. Forgive me Lord for ever thinking I can do what only You do. . .for stealing your thunder.
All of you at the meeting today know exactly what I’m talking about. And those of you who are just observers, I know that it looks and sounds totally nuts. And you’re right. But don’t fool yourselves. We all have our stimulants, don’t we? Enhancements to better our lives, keep us up at the top of our games, get us over the hump. . . turning that light on as bright as possible to create our visions for happiness and success. Seeing and believing with that faith that just naturally arrives in times of need. Man’s best. Lower case f. Just another day of life in the shadowlands. My Lily has been studying the Textbook on the Light and shadows, and as always, she can’t contain herself. “Yes, Love?”
“My Beloved is mine and I am His. He feeds among the lilies. I wait for the break of day and the shadows flee away and the Light appears in all the colors of Truth. . .in Him was Life and this Life is the Light of men. And this Light shines in the darkness and all the shadows disappear.”
The natural mind of man, no matter how spectacular it is, only creates shadows. . .the lower case letters of the alphabet. No matter how deep it goes into the ocean of his wisdom and understanding, no matter how high it climbs to the mountaintop of his intellect and logic, even as it soars beyond earth’s horizon to discover new things. . .the Light is always shining on the works of man’s hand. . . forming shadows on the surface of his earthly mind. Like shadow-faith.
Over the last couple of days, I have been unable to see faith anywhere. It will usually show up on one of two surfaces. 
It will be displayed on the wall of one’s mind; or etched deep within the surface of the soul. The light in my mind had gone out. My troubled heart had drained the batteries. And the Light in my soul had disappeared, just like It has so many times before. I’ve been waiting for the Adjustment Bureau to explain why the Creator has authored this for me. Why did He write this in the Book of Life? I had Hope that if they turned the page, Faith would show up again.
I‘ve been walking in the dark, feeling my way around, sensing only trouble ahead, waiting for a great fall. . .expecting the worst thing imaginable. . .that my faith is gone. Then my Lily and a couple of the eagles who had seen my despair, came over to where I was groping in the dark. They gently took me by the hand and we all sat at Lily’s feet. . .and she turned the Light on. She told us this story about Faith.
“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon, Behold. . .Evil has asked that you be given up to him, out of the Power and Keeping of God, that he may sift you like grain. But I have prayed especially for you that your Faith may not fail; and when you are strengthened and your Faith returns, strengthen and help others. . .I will never leave you or forsake you, or leave you without Faith.”
This story is from the Gospel of Luke. The word “Faith” means: being convinced; reflexively and passively to assent and agree to an inward certainty; to believe, to trust; quickened with the very Life of God by the power of His Spirit.” Like passive, dead Lazarus lying in the tomb, Faith arises in the soul when the Light and Life of the Son shines in the heart. Lazarus comes forth from the tomb, Alive. Faith comes forth from the soul, full of the Life of God.
Jesus asked His Father to help Simon. All of His prayers are answered. “When you are strengthened and your Faith returns…” No if, ands or buts. . .always and only, “WHEN“. And as one of the newbie Dumbos just pointed out, Faith begins with a Capital letter, signifying that this Faith is what God alone possesses and is given as a Gift to all the sheep. They are in union with the Indescribable Gift. . .the Son of God, Who is the Source of all Divine Fruit.
“He who who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for all the sheep; will He not freely give us all things?”
All things. All Divine Things. All the Fruits of the Spirit. Love, Joy Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Self-control 
and Faith. Yes, Faith. The Fruit of the Vine, possessed by a branch. A branch that lies passively and reflexively, waiting for the inevitable to arrive, to energize the sleeping little lamb with the Faith that Shines on the deep surface of the soul. The Faith of the Son of God. Not a shadow on the wall of the mind. Not the imitation. The Real Thing. Always a certainty. Promised by the God Who never, ever breaks one of His Promises to His little flock. I can swear to that today.
FAITH. Freely given. Freely Received. Free, to all of the Loves of His Life. Free to all of the Apples of His Eye. Unconditional. Guaranteed. Free, Love.
A Good Moment 