Tim and Barbara Cook, the pastors of the Church of Conscious Harmony in Austin, Texas, are here with Shirley Lanehart, a member of their congregation, to see Maharaj again. They came for the first time in 1979, brought to Maharaj by the taxi driver Giani Baldev Singh, who loves to tell his passengers about Maharaj and bring them to Gobind Sadan. Tim and Barbara have hung two pictures of Maharaj in their church since that time, and the church has grown greatly.  Tim therefore says to Maharaj, “You sit with us in meditation twice a day. You bless us every day.”

Maharaj replies,

Your love is so great; that is why these things are happening to you. You are like a child, and the father makes many forms for the child to play with.

            Maharaj had apparently put them right to work when they first came. Tim recalls, “In 1979, I was carrying rocks on my head in Gobind Sadan. Today I got to see the wall that was built.”

Maharaj answers,

Everything is changing, but God never changes. He always gives and He is always happy.

Tim says, “I’m always happy when I meet Maharaj.”

Maharaj responds,

Everything is in our thoughts—love, fear. If we keep our thought toward God, everything will come in us. Therefore always think of Him who gives you all happiness, Who is Owner of everything. There is nothing He cannot give you. This is the difference between Him and the human. A human has nothing to give, whereas when one looks toward God, everything comes. Those are blessed who have love, compassion, thoughts of service, who talk of love when anyone is in trouble, who help people in need. Always think of God as Love and see Love in everything—trees, earth, heavens—and also see Love inside.

Tim is so touched that he starts crying. Maharaj says to him,

Those tears are blessed which come from love and kindness.

Barbara says, “We feel that Maharaj has already blessed the church with His Presence.”

Maharaj replies,

There is no doubt. When you meditate, He is always beside you. He is praying through you and also accepting the prayer.

Barbara reports, “When I first came to India, Maharaj blessed our trip, and then everywhere we went, we saw God.”

Tim adds, “We feel so welcome and so loved here. It always feels like we have come home when we come here.”

Maharaj agrees,

It’s your house. Jesus was “lost” in Jerusalem.  When his mother found him in the Temple, he said, “I was in the house of my Father. I’m happy.”

Tim reports, “I have a letter in a frame from Maharaj from 1979. When I came back from India, my life was in great change. Maharaj said, ‘Your problems will all be solved, you will have all success, and things will happen that you can’t even imagine in dream.’ There is so much love in my life, Maharaj, since you have blessed me.”

Barbara asks Maharaj if he has any advice for them. He says,

Whatever you are doing is fine. Love God and love His Creation. See Him in everything. Don’t hate or be angry toward anyone or hurt anyone. Then God will be very happy. You are already doing this.

Tim requests Maharaj to bless his mala, which he does, at great length. Tim prostrates himself full-length on the floor before Maharaj, and Barbara touches his feet lightly and sweetly.

All the while, Shirley has been videotaping this audience and is drawn into Maharaj’s light-filled eyes. She says, “I am beginning to catch on to why things have been so good for us ever since we received Maharaj’s blessings.”