Man becomes like a stone unless he continually supplicates to God. Prayer is the great quickener. There is no human being who is not in need of prayer. …The sincere seeker, however, often asks, Why pray, since God knows our needs? In response, Bahaullah and Abdul-Baha mention many of the benefits of prayer: 1. Connection with God The wisdom of prayer is this: That it causeth a connection between the servant and the True One, because in that state man with all heart and soul turneth his face towards His Highness the Almighty, seeking His association and desiring His love and compassion. 2. Divine Companionship Verily He responds unto those who invoke Him, is near unto those who pray unto Him. And He is thy Companion in every loneliness, and befriends every exile. 3. Joy ...Know that in every home where God is praised and prayed to, and His Kingdom proclaimed, that home is a garden of God and a paradise of His happiness. 4. Healing There are two ways of healing sickness, material means and spiritual means. The first is by the use of remedies, of medicines; the second consists in praying to God and in turning to Him. Both means should be used and practiced Moreover, they are not contradictory, and thou shouldst accept the physical remedies as coming from the mercy and favor of God.... 5. Protection Besides all this, prayer and fasting is the cause of awakening and mindfulness and conducive to protection and preservation from tests. 6. Removal of Difficulties Is there any remover of difficulties save God! Say, Praise be to God! He is God! All are His servants and all abide by His bidding. (Prayers of the Bab to be used in times of difficulty.) 7. Increased capacity By these attractions ones ability and capacity increase. When the vessel is widened the water increaseth and when the thirst grows, the bounty of the cloud becomes agreeable to the taste of man. This is the mystery of supplication and the wisdom of stating ones wants. 8. Effect upon the World ...Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. 9. Intercession Those who have ascended have different attributes from those who are still on earth, yet there is no real separation. In prayer there is a mingling of station, a mingling of condition. Pray for them as they pray for you. Asked whether it was possible through faith and love to bring the New Revelation to the knowledge of those who have departed from this life without having heard of it, Abdul-Baha replied, Yes, surely, since sincere prayer always has its effect, and it has a great influence in the other world. We are never cut off from those who are there. The real and genuine influence is not in this world but in that other. Dorothy Baker, The Path to God, Bahai World Volumes, Volume 12, p. 898
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 06:39:49 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015