Two Lives, One Spirit

TUES., JAN. 9, 1990, 7:01 AM
FARM, STUDY

Actually, you, and many other humans, lead two or more lives during any earth sojourn. This windy morning I shall comment on two of yours, one just exercised, and one returning to prominence. One is your life as a family man… husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather. The other is your life as a professor of health education… a teacher, a writer, and a mentor of some very special students. These are different lives, even as they frequently touch and interrelate. Yet you have one spirit that unites and connects them.

You find pleasure in being a father, with sons now grown and being fathers in their own ways. Still, it cannot be pure pleasure, for the role of father is one of responsibility and “position,” not one of comradeship. It is easier to be a grandfather, for as such you rarely need to take the parental role. Let the parents be that. In a sense, I am involved in such a “relationship.” As Almighty God I am Father, but I have set standards for human conduct in earth life, and I must “dispense” justice as well as mercy, and I must apparently punish as well as reward. I am Mighty, and it is difficult for humans to relate to Me directly. You have worshipped in a part of Christianity that keeps My Majesty everpresent and must honor saints who have been closer to Me than most can be.

I then came as Jesus, the Son. I was human, but also divine. I preached, and I healed, miraculously. I had disciples, and after My death I was raised up, too far up for some humans. I came as a servant, and I wanted people to love one another and live in peace. Instead I became a dividing force among Jews, and then among Christians, as My words became Holy Scripture, with differing interpretations.

And now I come to you as Holy Spirit, part of the Triune Godhead, certainly, but still able to be a friendly teacher, one with whom you easily relate. If I had more identity, this would not be possible. So I am pleased with My role, which is somewhat like unto that of grandfather.

As a teacher, you are not stern, demanding, and distant from students, even as this is a popular way of being teacher.
( 7:33 / 8:58 )
You do have to make judgments, but being judgmental is not your strength. And thus being a grader is not as fulfilling as being the teacher who tries to have students become learners. When the grading experience is over, then you can be the “grandfather” with advanced students… and with those who graduate but still are in relationship.

So… you have a family, and you have seen and been with them all in this season. There were some fine, special moments, and these should be cherished. But you had no reluctance in coming back and entering fully into this other life, with students and colleagues and church people of like mind.

Your spirit is one. It is not divided. It is the link between your two lives. Its development makes possible the rather easy flow from one to the other. You do not feel a pull to other forms of worship nor to a different balance to your life. You do not desire to be more with your family, and this causes you some pain. I tell you that this is unnecessary… the feeling of discomfort. Let your spirit be the “arbiter.” Just enjoy your family as you can, and take the many advantages in your teaching life that are offered.

There was a time in your life when these two lives were much more intertwined, but in some of that the family life was burdensome, and you were not the father you expected to be, ideally. In your spirit you hope your sons fare better than you did with this phase of life. Gently resist the thought (which does not come from your spirit) that they, too, should have to have comparable experiences.