A devotional in preparation for the 9 Year Plan conferences called for by the Universal House of Justice.
1. By the righteousness of God! Whoso openeth his lips in this Day and maketh mention of the name of his Lord, the hosts of Divine inspiration shall descend upon him from the heaven of My name, the All‐Knowing, the All‐Wise. On him shall also descend the Concourse on high, each bearing aloft a chalice of pure light. Thus hath it been foreordained in the realm of Godʹs Revelation, by the behest of Him Who is the All‐Glorious, the Most Powerful. (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh)
2. Regard not the all-sufficing power of God as an idle fancy. It is that genuine faith which thou cherishest for the Manifestation of God in every Dispensation. It is such faith which sufficeth above all the things that exist on the earth, whereas no created thing on earth besides faith would suffice thee… If thou art a believer, thy faith shall be sufficient for thee above all things that exist on earth, even though thou possess nothing. (Selections from the Writings of the Bab)
3. When the Day-Star of Bahá will shine resplendent above the horizon of eternity it is incumbent upon you to present yourselves before His Throne….Ye have, one and all, been called into being to seek His presence and to attain that exalted and glorious station. (Selections from the Writings of the Bab)
4. Send forth, O God, such hosts as would render Thy faithful servants victorious. Thou dost fashion the created things through the power of Thy decree as Thou pleasest. Thou art in truth the Sovereign, the Creator, the All-Wise. (Selections from the Writings of the Bab)
5. Hallowed be the Lord in Whose hand is the source of dominion. He createth whatsoever He willeth by His Word of command “Be”, and it is. His hath been the power of authority heretofore and it shall remain His hereafter. He maketh victorious whomsoever He pleaseth, through the potency of His behest. He is in truth the Powerful, the Almighty. Unto Him pertaineth all glory and majesty in the kingdoms of Revelation and Creation and whatever lieth between them. Verily He is the Potent, the All-Glorious. From everlasting He hath been the Source of indomitable strength and shall remain so unto everlasting. He is indeed the Lord of might and power. All the kingdoms of heaven and earth and whatever is between them are God’s, and His power is supreme over all things. (Selections from the Writings of the Bab)
6. O Lord! Assist those who have renounced all else but Thee, and grant them a mighty victory. Send down upon them, O Lord, the concourse of the angels in heaven and earth and all that is between, to aid Thy servants, to succour and strengthen them, to enable them to achieve success, to sustain them, to invest them with glory, to confer upon them honour and exaltation, to enrich them and to make them triumphant with a wondrous triumph. (Selections from the Writings of the Bab)
7. Heed not your weaknesses and frailty; fix your gaze upon the invincible power of the Lord, your God, the Almighty. Has He not, in past days, caused Abraham, in spite of His seeming helplessness, to triumph over the forces of Nimrod? Has He not enabled Moses, whose staff was His only companion, to vanquish Pharaoh and his hosts? Has He not established the ascendancy of Jesus, poor and lowly as He was in the eyes of men, over the combined forces of the Jewish people? Has He not subjected the barbarous and militant tribes of Arabia to the holy and transforming discipline of Muhammad, His Prophet? Arise in His name, put your trust wholly in Him, and be assured of ultimate victory (The Bab’s Address to the Letters of the Living, quoted in The Dawn-Breakers)
8. Day and night I entreat and supplicate to the Kingdom of God and beg for you infinite assistance and confirmation. Do not take into consideration your own aptitudes and capacities, but fix your gaze on the consummate bounty, the divine bestowal and the power of the Holy Spirit ‐‐ the power that converteth the drop into a sea and the star into a sun. Praise be to God, the hosts of the Supreme Concourse secure the victory and the power of the Kingdom is ready to assist and to support. Should ye at every instant unloosen the tongue in thanksgiving and gratitude, ye would not be able to discharge yourselves of the obligation of gratitude for these bestowals. (Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l‐Bahá)
9. If a small number of people gather lovingly together, with absolute purity and sanctity, with their hearts free of the world, experiencing the emotions of the Kingdom and the powerful magnetic forces of the Divine, and being at one in their happy fellowship, that gathering will exert its influence over all the earth. The nature of that band of people, the words they speak, the deeds they do, will unleash the bestowals of Heaven, and provide a foretaste of eternal bliss. The hosts of the Company on high will defend them, and the angels of the Abhá Paradise, in continuous succession, will come down to their aid. (Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá)
10. Therefore, sing ye the sweet melody in the assemblages, entreat ye at the Threshold of the Kingdom of the Lord of Hosts and beg ye for confirmation and assistance. The Guide of Providence will appear and the ʺbeloved of divine giftʺ will unveil her luminous countenance. (Tablets of Abdu’l‐Bahá)
11. With hearts overflowing with the love of God, with tongues commemorating the mention of God, with eyes turned to the Kingdom of God, they must deliver the glad tidings of the manifestation of the Lord of Hosts to all the people. Know ye of a certainty that whatever gathering ye enter, the waves of the Holy Spirit are surging over it, and the heavenly grace of the Blessed Beauty encompasseth that gathering. (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of the Divine Plan)
12. The hosts of the Kingdom of Abhá are drawn and filed up in battle‐array on the plain of the Supreme Apex and are expecting that a band of volunteers step upon the field of action with the intention of service; so that they may assist that band and make it victorious and triumphant. (Tablets of Abdu’l‐Bahá)
13. By the life of God! the angels of heaven magnify thee, the Supreme Concourse praise thee, the party of the Kingdom of El‐ABHA announce to thee the glad‐ tidings and the hosts of the unseen assist thee and render thee victorious through the banners of Baháʹ. (Tablets of Abdu’l‐Bahá)
14. O Lord! Confirm him, aid and strengthen him through the hosts of the Kingdom, so that he may become the cause of the spread of the Word of God, the cause of joy and happiness to the friends and the means of awakening the negligent. Thou art the Mighty and Powerful and Thou art the Precious, the Almighty, the Wise! (Tablets of Abdu’l‐Bahá )
15. It always cheers my heart to hear from the dear friends whose hearts are so full of love and devotion, and desire to serve this Blessed Cause which has been proclaimed by Bahá’u’lláh to all the world, so that all national, racial, and religious prejudices will be abolished, and the world of humanity recognized as one home, and all men as brothers.
I certainly shall pray specially for you that you may be richly blessed in your work and service to the Blessed Cause. One soul who becomes entirely selfless and devoted and filled to overflowing with the spirit of love and service will do much for the progress of the Cause in whatever locality he is. Be assured, if you arise to serve, the Beloved Master says Nothing shall be impossible to you if you have faith. As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be. I convey to you the warm love and Bahá’í greetings of Shoghi Effendi, and all the family, and again assure you of our earnest prayers that you will be enabled to render much service to the Kingdom. ~ Bahíyyih Khánum
(The following two verses to be repeated 3 X’s or more – by different individuals.)
16. Be assured, if you arise to serve, nothing shall be impossible to you if you have faith. As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be. ~ Abdu’l-Baha
17. The source of courage and power is the promotion of the Word of God, and steadfastness in His Love. ~ Bahá’u’lláh
Song: Steadfast in His Love by Walter Heath
End of devotional portion.
Song by the Baha’i Youth of New Zealand – Perhaps to be used after consultative portion of Feast.
Words to song: Looking ahead on this path, might we not perceive Bahá’u’lláh Himself, the reins of humanity’s affairs in one hand, His other beckoning all to hasten, hasten? (Letter of the Universal House of Justice, 30 December 2021)
Some Additional Musical Options: As Ye Have Faith & He Maketh Victorious music by Badasht, Strive “Strive that your action day by day may be beautiful prayers.” Song based on `Abdu’l-Bahá’s talk given in 1911. – Music by Joe Crone
*All artwork, except one, by the Baha’is in Kazakhstan. Painting entitled, “Know Your Purpose” by a Canadian artist.