What The Urantia Book Means to Me - Pre McGee

By Pre McGee, New South Wales, Australia

I have been a student of the Urantia Book teachings for over 35 years. This book and its teachings have been my guide to strive for new informed levels of living and service.

During my early years I went down many “rabbit holes” searching for who I am.  Along the way, I joined a Christian study group where I learned a new philosophy of living. They introduced me to a different cosmology than the one I’d known before, teaching me about my relationship with our Father and the concept of a Thought Adjuster. Years later, when I was gifted a copy of The Urantia Book, I found out where these teachings had come from.

I’m grateful for how my original introduction provided a strong foundation on which to read The Urantia Book. I learned that I start in this life and progress all the way to standing in the presence of our Father by the decisions I make. I learned that sharing my inner life with God is important, and that loving my brothers and sisters is God’s will. Finding opportunities to help others in small ways each day is important to me, as is being a volunteer with Red Cross Emergency Services and other volunteer organizations.

Jesus’ answer to Ganid about his personal ministry explains the importance of knowing others as brothers and sisters.

Ganid, no man is a stranger to one who knows God. In the experience of finding the Father in heaven you discover that all men are your brothers, and does it seem strange that one should enjoy the exhilaration of meeting a newly discovered brother? To become acquainted with one’s brothers and sisters, to know their problems and to learn to love them, is the supreme experience of living. 130:2.6 (1431.1)

Trusting God, living by faith with God as my partner, underpins my daily life. At the end of each day, I consider how motivated I was by unconditional love in all my activities. I try to learn by my mistakes and trust God that one day I can attain the perfection of character which Jesus demonstrated—not on Urantia, for I have a lot to learn—but on the way to Paradise.

The book tells us we do not progress without spiritual insights and experiential growth which comes from the choices we make, our sincerity, and our choosing to do God’s will.  I try to see everything in daily life as an opportunity for growth.

From time to time challenges come to each of us and it is important to know that “in liaison with God, nothing—absolutely nothing—is impossible” 26:5.3 (291.3) Challenges have definitely helped cement my faith in God, and I have found the best resource is to know the life of Jesus.

These challenges have helped me grow my faith. As Jesus taught his apostles in the Lesson on Self-Mastery, faith is transformative.

Forget not—it is your personal faith in the exceedingly great and precious promises of God that ensures your becoming partakers of the divine nature. Thus by your faith and the spirit’s transformation, you become in reality the temples of God, and his spirit actually dwells within you. 143:2.4 (1609.5)

And as Paper 101 on the real nature of religion explains, real faith is also active.

Belief has attained the level of faith when it motivates life and shapes the mode of living. The acceptance of a teaching as true is not faith; that is mere belief. Neither is certainty nor conviction faith. A state of mind attains to faith levels only when it actually dominates the mode of living. 101:8.1 (1114.5)

Based on my study of The Urantia Book, I often ask myself two questions:

Do I feel an inner nudge from my Thought Adjuster to move out of my comfort zone, overcome my fears, learn new skills, and develop my faith? Then I remind myself that our Thought Adjusters are, as a Solitary Messenger puts it, “deeply interested in your temporal welfare and in your real achievements on earth. They are delighted to contribute to your health, happiness, and true prosperity.” 110:1.3 (1204.1)

Am I motivated to be more and more useful to others in loving and unselfish service? Then I recall the advice of a Melchizedek about the implications of loyalty: “It is the fruit of an intelligent appreciation of universe brotherhood; one could not take so much and give nothing.” 39:4.11 (435.4)

I also keep in mind that cooperation with our Adjusters is not about negation of oneself, rather, their guidance is positive: “The ideal life is one of loving service rather than an existence of fearful apprehension.” 110:3.4 (1206.2)

My compass for living my life on Urantia is acquired from one book—The Urantia Book. It guides and supports me with a philosophy of living; a language to share my journey with others, a direction to follow, and a goal to aspire to.