Ok so I’ll start with the full quote here from lesson 326:
And all Your attributes abide in me, because it is Your Will to have a Son so like his Cause that Cause and Its Effect are indistinguishable. (ACIM, W-326.1:5)
As I read this yesterday and the day before I realized this is what the Sufi path is. Repeating the attributes of God for months, years and a life time to reach an awareness where our smaller self (our nafs) dissolves into only the Attributes of God. The stages to get there in meditation are repeating the name out loud, then repeating it silently, and finally we dwell on pure becoming and communion so that only the Divine name is there, and nothing of our earthly awareness exists.
I love it when I see resonance but I also consider why is there resonance here? What matters about this common theme. All God’s attributes abide in us, His One Creation until we are indistinguishable Lover from Beloved. The next section of the text explains:
Let me know that I am an Effect of God, and so I have the power to create like You.⁷ And as it is in Heaven, so on earth. ⁸Your plan I follow here, (ACIM, W-326.1:6-8)
The goal is for us to become so empty we finally start to follow God’s plan for salvation of ourselves/The world. This again reminds me of a famous Hadith I’ll include here:
من عادى لي ولياً فقد آذنته بحرب مني، وما تقرب لي عبدي بشيء أحب إلي مما افترضته عليه، ومازال عبدي يتقرب إلي بالنوافل حتى أحبه فإذا أحببته كنت سمعه الذي يسمع به وبصره الذي يبصر به ويده التي يبطش بها وقدمه التي يمشي بها وإذا سألني لأعطينه وإذا استغفرني لأغفرن له وإذا استعاذني أعذته (1)
Here’s my own translation of this hadith:
And whomever makes an enemy a saint of mine I’ll give permission to declare war upon them. And my worshiper comes near to me by offering that which I enjoined upon them. And if my worshiper continues to come near to me by offering me extra deeds that aren’t obligated upon them then I’ve Loved them. And when I’ve Loved them I’ve become the hearing with which he hears, and the sight with which he sees, and the hands with which he strikes and the legs with which he walks and if he asks me I’ll give him and if asks forgiveness I’ll forgive him and if he sought refuge in me I’ll be his refuge.
Saints of the Muslim world are regarded as God’s servants on earth if they have truly awoken then they are indeed living their lives simply to fulfill His Will and “follow” God’s plan on earth to return to Heaven.
Your plan I follow here, and at the end I know that You will gather Your effects into the tranquil Heaven of Your Love, where earth will vanish, and all separate thoughts unite in glory as the Son of God. (ACIM, W-326.1:8)
ويبقى وجه ربك ذو الجلال والاكرام (2)
And His Face of Majesty and Honour will abide forever (2).