Psychic energy @ work-positive force of will

From Sri Easwaran--
Thy desire is thy prayer; and if thy desire is without ceasing, thy prayer will also be without ceasing. . . . The continuance of your longing is the continuance of your prayer.– SAINT AUGUSTINE
I once had a physicist friend who would gladly discuss electric power; but harnessing the power of a passion or a craving – well, that was not dynamics; that was poetry. 
“Power,” he told me sternly, “is the capacity to do work". 
He continued, "Work is the energy required to move a definite mass a definite distance. No movement, no work. No work, no power.”
Day or night I had never seen my friend far from his desk. Then late one evening I came out of a movie theater and saw him striding along like an athlete, several miles from his office. “What got you up from your desk?” I asked. “You’re breaking the habits of a lifetime.”
“Coffee,” he muttered. “I ran out of coffee.”
“Here,” I said, “a very definite mass has been propelled at least three miles, simply by one little desire for a cup of coffee.” He got my point.

Every deep desire is a prayer. Every desire also contains a certain quantum of energy – energy to grasp the desired goal.

We hardly know the boundaries and limitations of the Spirit of God. In I Samuel 16, the scripture states, "Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward". 
The tangible presence of the Spirit with David seems obvious from this statement. If Sri Easwaran has it right, and I think he does, every deep desire is a prayer, and each desire contains a certain quantum of energy that is energized by and animated by the working of the Spirit. 
Conversely, these powerful desires can also manifest as negative, self aggrandizing, selfish desire fulfilling, dark energy. 
Therein lies our choice. Do we seek the Spirit's leadership, or do we follow the dictates of one's own egocentric viewpoint? 
The Apostle Paul's term "in Christ" is what being in the Spirit means. It may mean more than that. If indeed we are energized, and embodied tangibly by and with the Spirit of God, like David was, we are enabled to walk in favor and in power. David experienced this spiritual strength before anyone could be said to be "in Christ". The third personality of the Trinity has existed --even before Jesus. I think yes. Even so, now we can understand the Spirit as interpreted through Christ...at a spiritual level that has evolved beyond even that of  David or Samuel.

Let us listen to no voice other than his. It is his yoke that must be accepted.


Comments

Anonymous said…
Your friend's definition of power and work might lead one to understand that from that day forward David walked in the Work (Spirit of Christ) of God; meaning, perhaps, that David has the will (power) to do this inner Work.

Tom
April 19, 2014 at 7:35 AM
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