Corresponding Text Section

Chapter 31: The New Beginning

5. Recognizing Whose Hand You Hold

The Real World is the state of mind in which the only Purpose of the world is seen to be forgiveness. Fear is not its goal, and the release from guilt is its Aim. The value of Truth is perceived and takes the place of idols, which are sought no longer, for their “gifts” are not held dear. No roles or rules are idly set, and no demands are made of anyone or anything to twist and fit into the dream of fear. Instead there is a desire to understand all things created as they truly are. And it is recognized that all things must be first forgiven, and then understood. In the world of illusions it is thought that understanding is acquired through judgment, which is a form of attack. In the Real World it is clear that understanding is lost by attack of any kind.

In the Real World the folly of pursuing guilt as a goal is fully understood. And idols have no attraction there, for guilt is perceived as the sole cause of pain in any form. No one there is tempted by guilt’s vain appeal, for suffering and death have been identified as things not wanted, and therefore not striven for under any guise. The possibility of Freedom has been grasped and welcomed, and the Means by which It is gained can now be realized. The world becomes a place of Hope, because its only Purpose is to be a place where Hope of Happiness can be fulfilled. And everyone stands within this Hope, because the Real World is united in the recognition that the true Purpose of the world is one that all must share if Hope be more than just a dream.

Not yet is Heaven fully remembered, for the Purpose of forgiveness still remains. Yet everyone in the Real World is certain they will go beyond forgiveness, and they remain only until forgiveness is made perfect in themselves. They have no desire for anything but this. And fear has dropped away because each one is united within themself in their Purpose. There is a Hope of Happiness in them so sure and constant that they can barely stay and wait a little longer with their feet still touching earth. Yet are they glad to wait until every hand is joined, and every heart made ready to arise and go with them. For thus are they made ready for the Final Step the Divine will take in which is all forgiveness left behind.

The Final Step in the awakening of each of Its Children from the dream of separation is the Divine’s to take because only the Divine could create Its perfect Creation and share Its Creatorship with each Aspect of Itself. No one outside of Heaven knows what this means or how it can be, for knowing this is Heaven Itself. Even the Real World has a Purpose still in time and space and therefore not fully within Creation and Eternity. But fear is gone in the Real World because its Purpose is forgiveness rather than cherishing illusions, idols, toys, or any shadows of reality. And so are Heaven’s Children prepared to be as they were created, and to remember that the Children of the Divine know Everything that their Creator knows, and understand It perfectly. The Real World does not aim for this, for this is the Divine’s Own Purpose, only Its, and yet completely shared and perfectly fulfilled in Eternity.

The Real World is a state in which the mind has learned how easily do idols go when they are perceived but not cherished; how willingly the mind can let them go when it has understood that idols are nothing and nowhere, and are purposeless. This is the same ease with which shadows disappear when the Light is welcomed. For only in the Light can guilt and separation be seen without a purpose, and as meaningless. Thus is the Real World’s Purpose gently brought into awareness to replace the “goal” of separation and guilt. And forgiveness joyfully releases all that stood between your image of yourself and what you truly are. Yet the Divine need not create Its Children again, that what is theirs be returned to them. The gap between your sisters and brothers and yourself was never there. And what the Children of the Divine knew in Creation they will know again.

When any Children of the Divine join in Purpose in the world of fear, they already stand at the edge of the Real World. Perhaps they still glance back and think they perceive an idol they desire or toy they yet would play with. Yet has their Path been surely set away from toys and idols toward Reality, for when they join their hands it is also Divine Essence’s Hand they take. And they will behold Whose Hand they hold. The Face of Divine Essence must be seen before the Creator is remembered. For the Divine must remain forgotten until Its Children have reached beyond forgiveness to the Love of the Divine. Yet is the Love of Divine Essence accepted first. And then will come the Knowledge that these Loves are One.

How light and easy is the Step across the narrow boundary of the world of fear and into the Real World, when you have recognized Whose Hand you hold! Within your hand is everything you need to walk with perfect Confidence away from fear forever, and to go straight on and quickly reach the Gate of Heaven Itself. For It Whose Hand you hold was only waiting for you to join It. Now that you have arrived at the edge of the Real World, would It delay in showing you the Way that It must walk with you? Its Blessing is with you as surely as Its Creator’s Love resides in It. Its Gratitude to you is beyond finite understanding, for you have allowed It to lift you from your illusion of imprisonment and go with you together into the Infinite to your Creator’s House. An ancient hate is passing from the world, and with it goes all hatred and all fear. Glance back no longer, for all you ever truly wanted in your heart is ahead.

Release this world of illusions! But not through a belief in sacrifice. You never truly wanted this world. What happiness have you sought here that did not bring you pain? What moment of content has not been bought at fearful price of suffering? True Joy has no cost. It is your sacred Inheritance. And anything you pay for cannot be Happiness. With honesty move without delay or distraction on your way, and let not your experiences here deceive you in retrospect. They were not free from bitter cost and joyless consequence. Do not glance back except in honesty. And when an idol still catches your attention, think of this:

There never was a time an idol brought me anything except the “gift” of guilt. Every one of them was bought at cost of pain. Nor was it ever paid by me alone.

Be merciful unto your sisters and brothers, then. And do not thoughtlessly choose again to hide within shadows, or lose yourself in toys of childhood, or cherish idols, instead remembering that your sisters and brothers will pay the cost as well as you. For they will be delayed when you look back, and you will forget Whose Hand you hold. See ahead, then, and walk in confidence, with happy hearts that beat in Hope and do not pound in fear. The Will of the Divine forever is in those whose hands are joined. Until they joined, they thought that the Divine was their foe. But when they joined and shared a true Purpose, they were free to learn that their will is One with their Creator’s. And thus the Will of the Divine was sure to reach to their awareness. Nor can they forget for long that Its Will is just their own.