92. GOD’S OMNISCIENCE AND HIS GUIDANCE
WHEN Matthew had finished his several verses the day after
I had healed the nobleman’s son from Capernaum, he
showed Me his work, which I commended, as it was
concise and to the point. But after packing his writing utensils he
comes to Me asking how much writing material he shall need at
Capernaum. If he is to keep more tablets unpacked then it should
be easier to remove them from the main pack now rather than at
Capernaum.
[2] I said: ‘The 4 shall suffice, but I nevertheless have to make you
aware of a small error in the ordering of your things. Basically
there is not much to it, but since with Me everything has to have its
proper order, it is unwise of you to first tie up your pack and ask
Me only afterwards how many tablets you shall need. Had I now
said “You shall need 5 at Capernaum”, then you would now have
had to untie the entire pack for just one tablet, which would have
caused you unnecessary effort. But, prompted by My secret
inspiration, you had to keep the exact number out and thereby save
yourself the effort of re-opening the pack. But as I remarked
already, there is not much to it, but often the advantage of the
right order in all things, even if seeming ever so trivial, can be of
great benefit.
[3] See, if someone washes in the morning, at midday and evening,
starting with his face and only then the hands, then he won’t get
his face clean so soon, because going over same with dirty hands,
but washing the hands first he shall be finished with his face more
quickly, by rubbing it with clean hands.
[4] A man with a stony field cleared same with much effort, but he
kept the following good order. First he gathered the largest stones,
stacking them out of the field in a rectangular pile. This he did
with the smaller stones also and so on down to 10 different piles
holding stones of similar size.
[5] Neighbors who saw him do it and who had cleared their fields
by just tossing all their stones into one ordinary heap remarked:
‘Look at the fool fussing with his stones.’
[6] But a builder passed by the road adjacent to his field. Seeing
the 10 regular heaps he went to the man whom his neighbors called
a fool and bought the stones off him for 40 silver groshen, because
in this order he was able to use them straight away. When the
neighbors saw it they came up and said: ‘Sir, why didn’t you come
to us? See, we have similar stones and would have given them to
you for just a few groshen, whereas here you paid 40 silver
groshen for the same stones.’ But the builder said: ‘Your stones I
would have to first sort out, which would take much work, time
and effort, but these here are already sorted, just as I need them
now, and so I rather overpay for these than accept yours free.’
Thereupon the neighbors of course started sorting their stones, but
it was too late. Because the builder had enough with those he
bought from the first, and these neighbors went to much effort for
nothing.
[7] Therefore always keep the best order in all things. When
someone then comes with an offer he is sure to always go for the
best order. A later effort is often and many a time in vain. Do you
follow this picture?’
[8] Says Matthew: ‘O Lord, how should I not understand it? Is it
not as bright and clear as the midday sun?
[9] But only one thing I would still like to find out from You, how
was it possible for You to know that I shall require four tablets at
Capernaum? Because divine omniscience still is the greatest
puzzle to me. Sometimes You know everything and arrange Your
ways without asking anyone, yet at other times You ask and act
like one of us, as if You did not know what happened or will
happen. How come? Lord, please give me a little light on this.’
[10] I said: ‘Friend, I would very much like to reveal this thing to
you, but you could not grasp it; therefore let us leave it. But a time
shall soon come when you shall easily grasp and comprehend such
secrets.
[11] But this much I can say to you for now, that although God can
know anything He likes in spite of man’s freedom of will, yet
when He chooses not to know, so that man would act freely, then
He will also not know. Do you understand that?’
[12] Says Matthew: ‘Lord, if so then man’s life on Earth is most
dangerous indeed. Which moderately knowledgeable person does
not know the many enemies which confront poor mankind
everywhere with all sorts of adversities, causing man’s demise
therewith? If without knowing so You permit this to go on just like
that, then the health of the soul should fare badly.’
[13] I said: ‘Not quite as badly as you think. Because firstly
everyone shall be living in accordance with his beliefs and loves;
and secondly man is free to at any moment call upon God for
protection, and God shall turn His countenance towards him who
pleads and help him in every adversity.
[14] Besides, everyone has been assigned a guardian angel anyway
who has to guide him from his birth to his grave. Such a guardian
angel always influences a person’s conscience and only begins to
keep further and further away from his ward when the latter,
guided by his self-love, has voluntarily relinquished all faith and
all love for his neighbor.
[15] Thus man on this Earth is by far not as forsaken as you think,
for everything depends on his free will and actions whether he
wishes to be supervised and guided by God or not. If he wishes it,
God will wish it too, but if he does not wish it, he is absolutely free
as far as God is concerned and God does not take any further
notice of him, except that he receives what according to universal
order every natural man is destined to have as the natural life and
what is needed to support it. But that is as far as God will and can
go with such a person because of his inviolable freedom. Only
when a man with his heart’s free will seeks and implores Him,
God will always come to meet such a man on the shortest possible
way, provided he seeks and prays in downright earnest.
[16] But if a person only seeks and prays tentatively in order to
convince himself whether where God and His promises are
concerned there is anything to it, he will not be considered by God
or his prayer granted. For God is in himself the purest love and
looks only upon those who come to Him in their heart’s pure love
and seek Him for His own sake, wish to learn to know Him with
gratitude as their Creator and have the fervent wish to be guarded
and guided by Him personally.
[17] Oh, as concerns those who come to God in this way, He
knows every moment only too well how things are with them, and
He teaches and guides them personally in everything. However, of
those who will have nothing to do with God He certainly does not
take any notice.
[18] And when once in the beyond they will be standing before
God, calling fervently and saying: “Lord, Lord”, God will answer
them: “Out of My sight, you strangers, for I have never known
you”. And such souls will then have to suffer and struggle
considerably until they will be able to approach God as recognized
by Him. Do you now understand this?’
[19] Says Matthew: ‘Yes Lord, this I understand now quite well,
plainly and clearly. But should I not at once record this great
teaching, which ought to and must greatly encourage men to
constantly search for and pray to God, that He would guide and
lead them along the right paths?’
[20] I said: ‘No, My dear friend and brother, because man would
never grasp such teaching in its right and living fullness. Therefore
you need not record it, except perhaps at a later stage, for yourself
or a few brethren.
[21] But now, if you all are ready to continue our journey to
Capernaum, then let’s be on our way. Whoever will, let him follow
us, but whoever prefers to stay, let him stay. I must go there, as
there is much misery there, as well as in the small cities around the
lake, which is a Galilean sea.’
