The Lesson From Peter

WED., DEC. 8, 1982, 6:09 AM
FARM, FRONT OF FIRE

You remembered, as yesterday developed, the experience now six years past of Peter’s accident. For you, today and tomorrow are the days of greater memorability, for they were the days of decision-making and action that brought you spiritual growth. Six years ago today you would design a coffin, arrange for and start the grave digging, see your son laid out and clearly dead… and do and say as a parent with a son coming to Me.

The lesson from Peter was of one mighty nature: life is continuous. Yet it had a number of manifestations. There was the message from Marylin, earlier than this, that Peter had been met, that he was happy, and that the next part of his continuous life experience had commenced. There was the Memorial Fund, arranged so that monies could increase the quality of young wrestler’s lives rather than purchase flowers that would quickly fade and die. There was the digging process, begun this afternoon on the hillside… the utilization of the strength of young bodies to move the earth so that this dead body, that of Stash, the lumber, the ferns, the hay, and the rope might be part of the living process that the earth is.

Life is continuous. Yet it appears that life begins and then ends. This earth existence is both reality and illusion. Understanding and living life fully requires an artful balance, My life as Jesus was the best example of this balance. There was a sense in which I knew from whence I came and to where I would go. Still, for the most part I put this knowledge aside and lived as if this earth life were an important reality.

Peter’s life was short, but I touched him powerfully several times, so… it is easy to say that in terms of spiritual reality it was long enough. He knew Me, and though he had some sorrows about how he had lived his brief life, he could accept My grace and forgiveness and get on with the spiritual growth process that never truly ends. I have told you before that there is no need for Me to grow further. In one sense I am infinite Spirit, for whom growth is unnecessary. But in another sense to proclaim that no more growth is necessary is to limit Me. And that, simply, can never be. I do not need to grow, but in this miniscule exercise of Spirit in teaching you and participating in this process I do grow. And if you would be aware, you grow from many encounters in life, including some that seem utterly unspiritual.

You learned from Peter’s death, and so did he. Your “places” of learning are different now, but, in many respects, so were they here in the earth. In the instance of that brief possible accident yesterday morn you anticipated being greeted by Peter and learning from him. That was a nice and appropriate glimpse, even though premature.