By: G S Bhatia

 Harmonious development of life is one of the aims of human beings. By harmonious development, a person makes progress in physical, mental, moral, social and, last but not least, spiritual spheres. Such a person takes life as it comes to him; a matter of fact, without abnormally being emotional or sentimental. His emotions and sentiments are, however, normal, natural, and can be advantageously employed for this own good and also for the good of others. Such a one does not bother about pain and pleasure, gain and loss, honour and dishonour. He does not worry about nor fear death, since he has realised th4e reality of life.

‘The world today is troubled. Men everywhere are seeking the solutions to their problems, personal, social, national and international. And underneath is the real meaning of life, and the destiny to which it leads.’

(Introduction to God Speaks to Modern Man by Arthur E. Lickey)

‘Be still, and know that I am God.’

(Psalms, 46:10)

‘Can’st thou be searching find out God?’

(Job, 11:7)

God does ask men to ‘be still’. To them He says, ‘Still thy words. Still thy prejudices . Still they preconceived opinions. For a moment, still thy pride, thy arrogance, thy rebellion, and I will speak with thee.'

‘Look unto me, and be ye saved.’

(Isaiah, 45:22)

‘Commit thy way unto the Lord.’

(Psalms, 37:5)

‘Lo, I am with you always.’

(Matthew, 28:20)

‘This simple approach does not settle all questions or bring complete understanding, but it is God’s beginning for every man.’

- (God Speaks to Modern Man, Page 12)

He who would worship God will of necessity worship a God of Power. Power is everywhere. ‘Power belongeth unto God.’ (Ibid, page 13). God is the mighty reservoir of saving grace for the needs of man everywhere. He has literally surrounded this earth with ‘atmosphere’ of His grace and power. Breathe it. Receive it.

Of Solomon, it is said: ‘He was wiser than all men.’ (1 Kings, 4:31) . He studied plant life, bird life, fish life, and insect life, everything he saw or thought of. Solomon wrote three thousand proverbs – wise, terse sayings.

Whence cometh Wisdom? God gave Solomon wisdom, says the Bible (1 Kings 4:29)

God’s wisdom is seen everywhere in the common things. Pumpkins do not grow on trees. Elephants do not have wings and whiz through the air to perch on your rooftop. Man is finite. Wisdom is infinite.

‘The price of wisdom is above rubies’.

(Job, 28:18)

‘The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom.'

(Job, 28:28).

‘Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.’

(Psalms 90:12)

‘The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.’

(1Corinthians,3:19)

Volumes might be written about beauty. There are the sunlit sky by day, the starlit sky by night, earth’s carpet of green, the wild profusion of tiniest flower perfuming the air, lofty trees, enchanting lakes, peaceful rivers, lofty mountains, and mighty seas. From the twittering bird on a lovely branch to the rainbow that spans the sky, beauty abounds in fantastic profusion.

‘Through Him the Universe is one harmonious whole’

(Bible)

Law governs fire, Law governs heat, Law governs pressure, and Law governs motion. Law governs all physics, all chemistry, all science, all art, and all life-everything. Law reigns. God reigns.

‘From the very creation of the world, His visible perception, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been rendered intelligible and clearly visible by His works.’

(Bible)

As law reigns in the physical realm, so does it also reign in the moral and spiritual realms.

If an intelligent, modern man is to worship God, he will conceive of Him as a God of Power, Wisdom, Beauty and Law.

Yet, these four attributes - power, wisdom, beauty and law- are not sufficient. A forceful ruler may wield immense power, possess a keen mind, admire beauty and art, and forge a great system of law, yet fail in drawing to himself the love and willing obedience of his people. But if in addition to these four aforesaid qualities, he holds his heart love for his subjects, then a happy realm may be his.

There is much hate, but there is also much love: love of children and parents, love of brothers and sisters. All the varied and ramifying phases of filial and racial love . Love of community, love of countrymen, love of good causes and love of God.

‘Love is of God.’

(1 John 4:7)

‘God is love.’

(1 John 4:8)

God made man after his own image. The image of power, of beauty, of law, of wisdom, and of love . All power belongs to God and so do the aforesaid attributes. Man out of his ignorance considers himself as the master of power, of law, of beauty, of wisdom and of love. This state of his mind, coupled with arrogance and foolishness, plunges him into troubles, pain, problems and all ills in his life. He then tries his best, endeavors very hard, puts his brain, his intellect his education, his experience, in search of solution of his problems so much so that, more often than not, he employs the whole span of life in it. He wakes or is awakened to the stark reality by some jerk of fate or the iron hand of destiny. Very often he has then no time, no wherewithal to achieve a bit of success. He is so much engrossed in his self-created world that he has little time to stand and stare. May be some people cry hoarse to warn him against pitfalls, against ditches, that he may fall or is going to fall in. But unfortunately he pays no heed to all this.

If by good luck he comes in contact with saints and sages and listens to their divine words and lives up to the same, there comes about a transformation and a perfect harmony in his life which is reflected in his physical, mental, moral and spiritual life.