By Bill Harley
I have a good friend who probably hasn’t mentioned the word “God” in thirty years (except in situations such as hitting his thumb with a hammer); but he recently confided in me that, since the pandemic began, he often finds himself muttering prayers to his Creator under his breath.
This reminded me of the story about a man who went fishing on Rainy Lake, the huge, inland lake that straddles northern Minnesota and southern Ontario, Canada. After motoring his small boat to the middle of the vast lake, he got so immersed in fishing that he failed to notice a large storm rapidly approaching from behind him. Suddenly and simultaneously, the dark, fast-moving clouds blotted out the sun and gale-force winds and rain swept over his boat. He started his motor to make a run for the nearest shore, but the waves grew so large that they were swamping his boat.
He tried to push on, but a huge wave swept over the stern and killed his engine. After unsuccessfully trying to restart it, and with waves rapidly filling his boat with water, he crawled on his knees to the bow of the boat and, gripping the gunnels on either side of the boat to steady himself, looked skyward and said aloud, “Dear God, I haven’t called on you for anything in over 30 years; and I promise that if you get me out of this mess alive, I won’t bother you again for the rest of my life!”
Well, this fisherman and my good friend referred to above are like many of us in the world today. We think human beings are invincible and that God is an obsolete concept; that is, until we get into a jam of great magnitude (or a pandemic); and then we spontaneously find ourselves calling out to a higher power. This tendency reveals a flaw, not in our character, but in our view of reality; because it reveals an inborne need to interact with God even in those who take pride in their freedom from such need.
Far from avoiding interaction with God in order not to bother Him like the fisherman above, or focusing so hard on material reality that thoughts of spiritual reality seldom unsettle our worldview like my good friend, we humans were created to know, love and interact with the Creator during our time on earth. God’s guidance in the world’s Scriptures makes this plain:
“O Son Of Being! Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant.”
And:
“O Moving Form Of Dust! I desire communion with thee, but thou wouldst put no trust in Me. The sword of thy rebellion hath felled the tree of thy hope. At all times I am near unto thee, but thou art ever far from Me. Imperishable glory I have chosen for thee, yet boundless shame thou hast chosen for thyself. While there is yet time, return, and lose not thy chance.”
(Both quotations from The Hidden Words by Baha’u’llah.)
So, proactive reliance on God makes us stronger than we can be when just relying on our limited human capacities. When we rely on divine resources and our own, we are operating as we were designed to operate—as spiritual beings having a material experience in this world. As Muhammad said: “Trust in God, but tie your camel”.
To explore these concepts more fully, read Jean’s and my first book, Now That I’m Here, What Should I Be Doing? , about the three ultimate purposes of life and the spiritual growth dynamics that need to be navigated to achieve these purposes. It will help you blend your human resources with the divine resources available to you so that you serve more effectively in this world even as you prepare for the next.
Also, read Jean’s and my second book, TRANSFORMED: How to Make the Decisions That Change Your Life, about how to make transformative life decisions drawing upon both human and divine resources—whether alone or in a group—which advance civilization both materially and spiritually.
