This Interfaith Devotional program focuses on the courage and freedom that comes from the knowledge of God. These readings have been selected from various religious traditions. Please come and join us on Sundays at 9:30 am at the Beaverton Baha’i Center.

Opening Prayer

All praise be to Thee, O my God, for the things Thou didst ordain for me through Thy decree and by the power of Thy sovereignty. I beseech Thee that Thou wilt fortify both myself and them that love me in our love for Thee, and wilt keep us firm in Thy Cause. I swear by Thy might! O my God! Thy servant’s shame is to be shut out as by a veil from Thee, and his glory is to know Thee. Armed with the power of Thy name nothing can ever hurt me, and with Thy love in my heart all the world’s afflictions can in no wise alarm me. Send down, therefore, O my Lord, upon me and upon my loved ones that which will protect us from the mischief of those that have repudiated Thy truth and disbelieved in Thy signs. Thou art, verily, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful.

Bahá’í Faith, Bahá’u’lláh

First Reading

Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

Judaism, 1rst Chronicles

In the treasuries of the knowledge of God there lieth concealed a knowledge which, when applied, will largely, though not wholly, eliminate fear. This knowledge, however, should be taught from childhood, as it will greatly aid in its elimination. Whatever decreaseth fear increaseth courage.

Bahá’í Faith, Bahá’u’lláh

He who is patient, without anger and fearless, he is to be called learned.

Buddhism, Dhammapada

We send the apostles to give good news and to warn: so those who believe and mend their lives, upon them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Islam, Surih 6

Music

Music

Second Reading

O Thou Almighty! I am a sinner, but Thou art the Forgiver! I am full of shortcomings, but Thou art the Compassionate! I am in darkness of error, but Thou art the Light of Pardon! Therefore, O Thou Benevolent God, forgive my sins, grant Thy Bestowals, overlook my faults, provide for me a shelter, immerse me in the Fountain of Thy Patience and heal me of all sickness and disease. Purify and sanctify me. Give me a portion from the outpouring of holiness, so that sorrow and sadness may vanish, joy and happiness descend, despondency and hopelessness be changed into cheerfulness and trustfulness, and courage take the place of fear. Verily Thou art the Forgiver, the Compassionate, and Thou art the Generous, the Beloved!

Bahá’í Faith, `Abdu’l-Bahá

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and grief hath overwhelmed me. And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. … Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Judaism, Psalm 55

… the honor and exaltation of man must be something more than material riches. Material comforts are only a branch, but the root of the exaltation of man is the good attributes and virtues which are the adornments of his reality. These are the divine appearances, the heavenly bounties, the sublime emotions, the love and knowledge of God; universal wisdom, intellectual perception, scientific discoveries, justice, equity, truthfulness, benevolence, natural courage and innate fortitude; the respect for rights and the keeping of agreements and covenants; rectitude in all circumstances; serving the truth under all conditions; the sacrifice of one’s life for the good of all people; kindness and esteem for all nations; obedience to the teachings of God; service in the Divine Kingdom; the guidance of the people, and the education of the nations and races. This is the prosperity of the human world! This is the exaltation of man in the world! This is eternal life and heavenly honor! These virtues do not appear from the reality of man except through the power of God and the divine teachings, for they need supernatural power for their manifestation.

Bahá’í Faith, `Abdu’l-Bahá

Music

Music

Third Reading

Who seeth Me, Lord of the Worlds, with faith-enlightened eyes, unborn, undying, these natures spring from Me! Intellect, skill, enlightenment, endurance, self-control, truthfulness, equability, and grief or joy of soul, and birth and death, and fearfulness, and fearlessness, and shame, and honour, and sweet harmlessness, and peace which is the same whate’er befalls, and mirth, and tears, and piety and thrift, and wish to give, and will to help,- all cometh of My gift!

Fearlessness, singleness of soul, the will always to strive for wisdom; opened hand and governed appetites; and piety, and love of study; humbleness, uprightness, truthfulness, slowness unto wrath, a mind that lightly letteth go what others prize; and equanimity, and charity which seeth no man’s faults; and tenderness towards all that suffer; a contented heart, fluttered by no desires; a bearing mild, modest, and with noble patience, fortitude, and purity; An unrevengeful spirit, never given to rate itself too high; such be the signs of him whose feet are set on that fair path which leads to heavenly birth!

Hinduism, Bhagavad-Gita

Arise with every power to assist the Covenant of God and serve in His vineyard. Be confident that a confirmation will be granted unto you and a success on His part is given unto you. Verily, He shall support you by the angels of His holiness and reinforce you with the breaths of the Spirit that ye may mount the Ark of Safety, set forth the evident signs, impart the spirit of life, declare the essence of His commands and precepts, guide the sheep who are straying from the fold in all directions, and give the blessings. Ye have to use every effort in your power and strive earnestly and wisely in this new century. By God, verily the Lord of Hosts is your support, the angels of heaven your assistance, the Holy Spirit your companion and the Center of the Covenant your helper. Be not idle, but active and fear not.

Bahá’í Faith, `Abdu’l-Bahá

Music

Open Prayers

Music

Fourth Reading

A blade of grass severed from the root may live an hour, whereas a human body deprived of its forces may die in one minute. But in the proportion that the human body is weak, the spirit of man is strong. It can control natural phenomena; it is a supernatural power which transcends all contingent beings. It has immortal life, which nothing can destroy or pervert. If all the kingdoms of life arise against the immortal spirit of man and seek its destruction, this immortal spirit, singly and alone, can withstand their attacks in fearless firmness and resolution because it is indestructible and empowered with supreme natural virtues. For this reason … the spirit of man can penetrate and discover the realities of all things, can solve the secrets and mysteries of all created objects. While living upon the earth, it discovers the stars and their satellites; it travels underground, finds the metals in their hidden depths and unlocks the secrets of geological ages. It can cross the abysses of interstellar space and discover the motion of inconceivably distant suns.

How wonderful it is! It can attain to the Kingdom of God. It can penetrate the mysteries of the divine Kingdom and attain to everlasting life.

It receives illumination from the light of God and reflects it to the whole universe. How wonderful it is! How powerful the spirit of man…

Therefore, it is divinely intended that the spiritual susceptibilities of man should gain precedence and overrule his physical forces. In this way he becomes fitted to dominate the human world by his nobility and stand forth fearless and free, endowed with the attributes of eternal life.

Bahá’í Faith, `Abdu’l-Bahá

Closing Prayer

I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Messengers, and Thy Chosen Ones, and by Him through Whom Thou hast affixed Thy seal upon the Manifestations of Thy Cause among Thy creatures, and Whom Thou hast adorned with the ornament of Thine acceptance among all that dwell in Thy heaven and on Thy earth, to graciously assist me to attain unto what Thou hast ordained for Thy servants and bidden them observe in Thy Tablets. Wash away, then, my sins, O my God, by Thy grace and bounty, and reckon me among such as are not overtaken by fear nor put to grief. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Bahá’í Faith, Bahá’u’lláh

• Cover – Fearless and Free
• Local Cover – Fearless and Free
• Program – Fearless and Free
• Readings – Fearless and Free
• Readings (rtf) – Fearless and Free

Photo by Samuel Ferrara on Unsplash