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Bestir thyself, and magnify, before the entire creation, the name of God, and celebrate His praise, in such wise that all created things may be regenerated and made new. Speak, and hold not thy peace.16 Baha'u'llah (4:5) For every one of you his paramount duty is to choose for himself that on which no other may infringe and none usurp from him. Such a thing... is the love of God, could ye but perceive it.17 Baha'u'llah (4:6) We were not made to eat, to sleep, and to exercise. We were not made to work, to wash, and to watch TV. We were not made to make money, to build beautiful houses, and to buy the finest furniture and jewelry. We were not even made to get married and live happily ever after. We were made for one reason and one purpose: (4:7) To learn as much as we can about God, (4:8) To learn to love Him passionately, perfectly, and unconditionally, and (4:9) To glorify Him and thank Him for making all these possible, for creating and loving us, for giving us the chance to be His lovers and His most sublime creation, and for all the infinite gifts, pleasures, and bounties He has provided for us. (4:10) If we spend our lives for any purpose other than knowing Him, if we live for any reason other than loving Him and glorifying Him, it is like going into a theater that presents the most majestic and beautiful movie and, instead of enjoying the splendid scenes, hearing the heavenly music, and basking in the company of friends and loved ones, we sit down, close our eyes, and go to sleep! What a sense of loss and failure, what a sense of anger, grief, and remorse, when we wake up to discover that the movie has ended, that the opportunity is gone forever! (4:11) Be ye assured, that the works and acts of each and every one of these Manifestations of God, nay whatever pertaineth unto them, and whatsoever they may manifest in the future, are all ordained by God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose.18 Baha'u'llah (4:12) From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived their sovereignty. The beauty of their countenance is but a reflection of His image, and their revelation a sign of His deathless glory.19 Baha'u'llah (4:13) The Lord God of your fathers... hath sent me... Moses (Exodus 3:15) (4:14) I do nothing on my own authority, but in all that I say, I have been taught by my Father. Christ (John 8:28) (4:15) Only what is revealed to me do I follow. Muhammad (Qur'an 6:50) (4:16) Not of Mine own volition have I revealed Myself, but God, of His own choosing, hath manifested Me.20 Baha'u'llah (4:17) The sweetest and most sublime music comes from the beating of a heart in tune with the knowledge and love of God. Our attachment to God gives us the strength to cope with the stress and distress of living. It protects the flame and fuels the candle. 'A lady went to her doctor and said, 'Doctor, I know I've been working too hard, but I don't want you to tell me to stop burning the candle at both ends. What I need is more wax.'' Love of God is an everlasting flame. (4:18) The Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! Psalms 32:10-11 (4:19) With thee is the fountain of life. In thy light shall we see light. Psalms 36:9 (4:20) In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. Psalms 16:11 (4:21) No joy can compare with the joy of knowing, loving, serving, and glorifying God. The purpose of religion is to spread and strengthen this knowledge, love and devotion, and to bring them into every heart and every home. Without God, the world is a place of gloom and darkness, and the heart an abode of despair and emptiness. (4:22) Like an old tree that begins to rot and break down, when a religion loses its spiritual and transforming powers, it becomes an instrument of division and discord rather than of unity, harmony, and love. It promotes rote learning and superstition rather than reasoning and understanding; consequently, believers begin to lose their faith and their sense of connection with other human beings. They wonder why God does not care anymore, they blame Him for their troubles and sufferings, and eventually they ignore His counsels. When people lose touch with God, they also lose touch with themselves. Knowledge of God leads to knowledge of self; ignorance of God leads to ignorance of self. (4:23) Love of God turns us from mortal to immortal beings. It changes the monotony of daily chores into an everadvancing journey of hope and fulfillment, of wonder, exhilaration, and ecstasy. Today many are deprived of this most exciting dimension of human life; they see the mud holes, but miss the rainbow. (4:24) The Baha'i Faith has proved capable of restoring God's love to the heart of humanity by making religion rational and relevant to our time. Baha'is believe that Baha'u'llah's Revelation is a clear proof that God cares and always will. In the teachings of the Baha'i Faith, we can find peace, hope, and harmony. By the guidance it provides we can resolve the world's distressing problems. Through Baha'u'llah's teachings we can build a heavenly kingdom, a glorious civilization that has been the promise of all the great Messengers and the hope of humanity since the dawn of history. (4:25) References: |