Lauded by Thy name…
Lauded by Thy name, O my God! I entreat Thee by the fragrances of the Raiment of Thy grace which at Thy bidding and in conformity with Thy desire were diffused throughout the entire creation, and by the Daystar of Thy will that hath shone brightly, through the power of Thy might and of Thy sovereignty, above the horizon of Thy mercy, to blot out from my heart all idle fancies and vain imaginings, that with all my affections I may turn unto Thee, O Thou Lord of all mankind!
I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, O my God! I have laid hold on the handle of Thy grace, and clung to the cord of Thy tender mercy. Ordain for me the good things that are with Thee, and nourish me from the Table Thou didst send down out of the clouds of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy favor.
Thou, in very truth, art the Lord of the worlds, and the God of all that are in heaven and all that are on earth.
~ Baha’u’llah
I really appreciate the somber tone and plea to God to remove the “idle fancies and vain imaginings” from one’s heart so that it will be possible to put all of one’s affections towards Him. What a beautiful sentiment, and a nice reminder to know that, at times, even Baha’u’llah, a Prophet of God needed to ask for help to keep his thoughts on God.