Children of God
Mar 28, 2022by Nayaswami Narayan
I heard about a man's near death experience recently that was deeply touching. After an afternoon jog on the beach, John Doe came back home to shower and rest. Out of nowhere his breathing became labored to the point of almost fainting. Little did he know, a blood clot from his leg made its way to his heart. Very suddenly he was in danger of dying.
As he lost consciousness of this world and left his body, he saw a great light and a man with a beard who had eyes with the deepest compassion. He felt love in every fiber of his being as he was enveloped in the warm embrace of Jesus Christ. He noticed Jesus was holding a crystal container that was filled with water. Why was Jesus holding a crystal container?
Answering his thought, Jesus said to him, “Throughout your life I collected your tears of sorrow in this container… now I offer them into the river of life to be transformed into tears of divine joy.”
This man’s near death experience reminded me of Swami Kriyananda’s song, “Children of God.” The lyrics are:
Children of God!
Your time of trial has ended!
See where the dawn irradiates the night:
Soon all your tears will rise like dew to the sun:
Sorrows will turn to joy; your griefs, to delight!
Children, rejoice, for lo! the Kingdom of God
Comes in full splendor: It needs but your sight!
But how can we see God when we are going through suffering and sorrow? How do we change our darkness into clear divine light?
Recently a dear friend of ours lost both of her parents to Covid. They passed within two weeks of each other and she was left to handle all the affairs of the estate, not to mention the grieving she was experiencing.
During the memorial service for her parents, she was given a cross. She held that cross to her heart as if to say, “I will never forget Thee, I will never forsake Thee, Lord.” That image of her holding onto the cross will be emblazoned upon my consciousness as a reminder to cling to God. She reminded me of how Paramhansa Yogananda said in a chant, “Though my sea is dark and my stars are gone, still I see the path through Thy mercy.”
If you are struggling with grief, fear, anger, or despair, remember the compassion, love, and mercy of God are unfathomable and unconditional. The Bhagavad Gita offers this healing truth:
(2:65) With the attainment of soul bliss, every vestige of sorrow disappears. Bliss gives perfect discrimination, and soon establishes one’s consciousness firmly (in the Self).
How shall we find our soul bliss? It needs but our sight! That is, through deep meditation, prayer, and selfless service we will find Him who will destroy all suffering and sorrow forever.
Soul Bliss & love to you!
Nayaswami Narayan
