Morning
Worship thou God in such wise that if thy worship lead thee
to the fire, no alteration in thine adoration would be produced, and so
likewise if thy recompense should be paradise. Thus and thus alone should be
the worship which befitteth the one True God. Shouldst thou worship Him because
of fear, this would be unseemly in the sanctified Court of His presence, and
could not be regarded as an act by thee dedicated to the Oneness of His Being.
Or if thy gaze should be on paradise, and thou shouldst worship Him while
cherishing such a hope, thou wouldst make God’s creation a partner with Him,
notwithstanding the fact that paradise is desired by men.
Fire and paradise both bow down and prostrate themselves before God. That which is worthy of His Essence is to worship Him for His sake, without fear of fire, or hope of paradise.
- The Báb (From the Persian Bayan, ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)
Evening
Thou hast written that one of the friends hath composed a treatise. This was mentioned in the Holy Presence, and this is what was revealed in response: Great care should be exercised that whatever is written in these days doth not cause dissension, and invite the objection of the people. Whatever the friends of the one true God say in these days is listened to by the people of the world. It hath been revealed in the Lawh-i-Hikmat: "The unbelievers have inclined their ears towards us in order to hear that which might enable them to cavil against God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." Whatever is written should not transgress the bounds of tact and wisdom, and in the words used there should lie hid the property of milk, so that the children of the world may be nurtured therewith, and attain maturity. We have said in the past that one word hath the influence of spring and causeth hearts to become fresh and verdant, while another is like unto blight which causeth the blossoms and flowers to wither. God grant that authors among the friends will write in such a way as would be acceptable to fair-minded souls, and not lead to cavilling by the people.
- Baha’u’llah (from
a Tablet translated included in a letter dated 20 July 1997, written on behalf
of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer)
