“Show Thyself to me”

 

St. Croix, photo by Trina G.

O my Lord, my Master, and the Goal of my Desire! I have heard that Thou hast declared this to be a Day whereon if anyone, with complete sincerity, were to ask but once, “Show Thyself to me”, then from the heaven of Divine Utterance he would hear: “Look, and thou shalt behold Me!” From this blessed and exalted utterance the station of this Day is made clear and evident.

—Bahá’u’lláh

(Additional Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/742371889

" ...Gather them then together upon the shore of Thy munificence and bounty, and sever them from all but Thee so that they may stand in fear of no one, nor be overawed by any soul. ..."

 

© Chuck Egerton 2024

I ask Thee then, O my God, by the lights of Thy divine unity, and the hidden mysteries of Thine ancient and everlasting Being, to preserve Thy loved ones after I am gone, lest their feet should slip upon Thy path. Gather them then together upon the shore of Thy munificence and bounty, and sever them from all but Thee so that they may stand in fear of no one, nor be overawed by any soul. Open then their eyes, O my God, through the wondrous evidences of Thy might and the sovereign potency of Thy dominion, in order that they may see all things held within Thy grasp, and all matters contained within the palm of Thine omnipotence. I swear by Thy beauty, O Thou my hope, that shouldst Thou cause them to ascend to this most sublime and all-highest station, they would tell of Thee continually, and would so completely return unto Thee that naught could cause them any perturbation, though all who are in heaven and on earth should rise up unitedly against them.

I ask Thee then, O my God, by Thy light which hath illuminated all beings, and by Thy glory which hath irradiated the whole of creation, to remember Thy servant who hath been designated “Jím” in the realms of Thine eternity and the canopy of Thy grandeur. Cause him then, O my God, to hearken unto the holy melodies of Thy tender mercy, that they may draw him away from himself and from whatsoever is not of Thee, and attract him unto the dawning splendours of Thy love and adoration. Potent art Thou to accomplish this through Thy transcendent might.

—Bahá’u’lláh

(Additional Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/534027782

"I yield Thee thanks, O my God, in these days when the oppressors amongst Thy people and the rebellious amongst Thy creatures have arrayed themselves against us."

 

photo by Margarete P. (in memory of Bill)

...  I yield Thee thanks, O my God, in these days when the oppressors amongst Thy people and the rebellious amongst Thy creatures have arrayed themselves against us, and are rejoicing at the adversities which, through the mysterious workings of Thy decree, Thou hast caused to descend upon us as gems from the treasury of Thy providence. Such hath ever been Thy custom with Thy loved ones and Thy practice with Thy chosen servants. I swear by Thy might, O my Beloved, that though others may flee from tribulations suffered in Thy path, I am he who, in his love for Thee, yearneth after every woe and trial. I ask Thee, then, by Thy Name through which the seas of names have surged before the evidences of Thy transcendent oneness, and through which Thou hast been exalted above all creation in the hallowed sovereignty of thy Lordship, to send down whatever afflictions Thou hast destined for Thy loved ones upon this Thy servant, lest there should befall them that which would still the quickness of their love for Thee, or dampen the fervency of their devotion. I am he, O my God, who would ransom with his life and soul whatsoever proceedeth from Thee or befalleth at Thy bidding. To all this shall I be true, through Thy power and Thy might. No God is there but Thee, the Generous, the Subtile, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. ...

(Additional Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/492558827

"Every Prophet is filled with consternation when confronted by the manifold evidences of Thy wrath, and every Chosen One standeth dismayed before the revelations of Thy might."

 

photo by Margarete P.

He is the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I call upon Thee at this time when the accents of the dove of separation are raised from the land of Iraq, and the warbling of the Nightingale of fervent longing is heard from the horizon of the world—at such a time do I call upon Thee, proclaiming: “Thou in truth art God, the King, the Mighty, the Beauteous. From everlasting, O my God, Thou hast been exalted in the supremacy of Thy might, Thy power, and Thy glory, and unto all eternity Thou wilt remain transcendent in the sublimity of Thy grandeur, Thy majesty, and Thy splendour. Every Prophet is filled with consternation when confronted by the manifold evidences of Thy wrath, and every Chosen One standeth dismayed before the revelations of Thy might. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling. ...

(Additional Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/282063749

"Say: I yield Thee thanks, O my God, and my Master, and my Mainstay, for having aided me to recognize the Dawning-Place of Thy signs ..."

 

photo by Trina G.

He is God, exalted is He, the Lord of wisdom and utterance.

Say: I yield Thee thanks, O my God, and my Master, and my Mainstay, for having aided me to recognize the Dawning-Place of Thy signs, the Dayspring of Thy testimonies, and the Fountainhead of Thy laws and commandments, Him unto Whom Thou didst reveal the Qur’án, and through Whom Thou didst distinguish truth from falsehood and light from darkness. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all created things and the Educator of all beings, by the billows of the Ocean of Thy favour and the effulgent splendours of the Day-Star of Thy bounty that have been shed upon Thy people, to ordain for this servant of Thine that which will exalt him by Thy name amidst Thy creatures. Write down, then, for me what Thou hast written down for Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in heaven and on earth.

I praise Thee and thank Thee, moreover, for the blessing Thou hast sent down from the heaven of Thy will and the firmament of Thy purpose. I beseech Thee, by Thy most mighty signs and by Thy most great, most holy, and most exalted Cause, to bless his arrival unto us. Do Thou ordain for him what will cause every heart to be gladdened and every eye to be solaced. Verily Thou art God. There is none other God but Thee, the omnipotent Protector, the Self-Subsisting.¹

—Bahá’u’lláh

1 Revealed for the recipient on the occasion of the birth of his son.

(Additional Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh) 

www.bahai.org/r/623165308

"Thine enemies have sharpened their teeth for the flesh of Thy loved ones. Protect, then, Thy companions, O Thou Who layest low the necks of men, O Thou the Lord of the Judgement Day!"

 

photo by Margarete P.

"O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and Fashioner of the heavens! Deliver Thy loved ones from the prison of their foes. Thou, verily, art the Sovereign Ordainer, He Whose light shineth resplendent above the horizon of creation.

O Thou Who art the Essence of immortality! Dash not their hopes, I adjure Thee by the life of Bahá, but render them victorious. Thou, verily, ordainest as Thou pleasest, and holdest in Thy grasp the kingdom of creation.

Thine enemies have sharpened their teeth for the flesh of Thy loved ones. Protect, then, Thy companions, O Thou Who layest low the necks of men, O Thou the Lord of the Judgement Day!

Many a day hath passed in delay. Let them, then, in a state of detachment from all things, repeat nine times these luminous words. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Unconstrained."

—Bahá’u’lláh

(Additional Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/918894002

" ... How, then, can this thrall claim for himself ownership of any other human being? Nay, his very existence before the court of Thy might is a sin with which no other sin in Thy kingdom can compare. ..."

 

enslaved African-Iranian

"Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Behold how one slave hath stood at the door of another, seeking from him his freedom, and this despite the fact that his owner is himself but Thy thrall and Thy servant, and is evanescent before the revelations of Thy supreme Lordship. I testify at this moment, as I stand before Thee, to that whereunto Thou didst testify to Thyself, by Thyself, that verily Thou art God and there is none other God but Thee. From everlasting Thou hast inhabited the loftiest heights of power, might, and majesty, and wilt to everlasting continue to abide in the sublimity of Thy glory, awe, and beauty.

All kings are as vassals before the gate of Thy grace, the rich are but destitute at the shore of Thy sacred dominion, and all great ones are but feeble creatures within the court of Thy glorious bounty. How, then, can this thrall claim for himself ownership of any other human being? Nay, his very existence before the court of Thy might is a sin with which no other sin in Thy kingdom can compare. Glorified, immeasurably glorified, art Thou beyond every description and praise.

O my God! Since he hath asked this servant for his freedom, I call Thee to witness at this moment that I verily have set him free in Thy path, liberated him in Thy name, and lifted from his neck the shackles of servitude, that he may serve Thee in the daytime and in the night-season, whilst I pray that Thou mayest never free mine own neck from the chain of Thy servitude. This verily is my highest hope and supreme aspiration, and to this Thou Thyself art a mighty witness."

—Bahá’u’lláh

(Additional Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/625753576