How I Used Truth - Lesson 9 - Annotation 8
Why is it vital for us to center our attention on God?
8. It is vital for us to center our attention on God because this is the only way we can bring into manifestation the divine ideas inherent in our spiritual nature. Unless we do center our attention on God, we will be putting our attention on things or conditions of the outer or physical world, to the exclusion of the divine idea we seek to manifest. Unless we are centered in God and His ideas, our "spoken word" will have only an imperfect concept of the divine pattern upon which to work, rather than the divine pattern held in God-Mind as an idea.
"We need ... to meditate quietly and affirm the presence and power of the great Giver of all, and then accept the gifts. To be true to the law is to stop looking to the without and to look within for supply. Looking to the within means fixing the mind upon God as an ever-present Spirit that is also substance and power" (Prosperity 74).
The text (page 93) reads, "we must take our thought entirely off the visible world and center it on God" (How I Used Truth 93). This is not a difficult thing to do if we know that God is the Spirit indwelling in us as "Christ in you" (Col. 1:27) or as the "spirit in man" (Job 32:8). For example, one engrossed in music seems quite unconscious of what is going on around him. He is concentrating so completely on what he is listening to that his entire attention is given to the music. Through "practice of the Presence of God" (See Lessons in Truth Lesson 1 Annotation 6) we learn how to direct our prayers, our attention, Godward. We are thus open and receptive to the ideas of the spiritual realm which are the patterns for all forms of good we desire to manifest such as food, shelter, clothing, education, harmony, healing. It stands to reason that as God is the source of all ideas we need to center our attention on Him. The musician must center his attention on principles of music if he would express harmonies in sound. The mathematician must center his attention on principles of mathematics if he would produce right solutions.
We are told that prayer is conscious communion with God, so once we come into such communion we have centered our attention on God. The result can be nothing less than a manifestation of good in every phase of our life.
"It must be true that there is in man a capacity for knowing God consciously, and communing with Him. This alone assures health and joy and satisfaction" (Jesus Christ Heals 24-25) .
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Preceding Entry: Explain the three realms in the universe (text, page 93) and show the relation of the "spoken word" to these three realms.
Following Entry: Show how we may use the words "Let there be" as our "spoken
word" to bring forth some demonstration of good in mind, body,
or affairs.
