We are precious in the sight of God.

 

178. Precious, we are precious and cherished in the eyes of God the Christian religion tells us: But also, as you might expect, with all of the religions of God coming from the same heavenly spiritual source, all the other religions of God also tell us of the wonderful love God holds for us and the deep desire He has for us to be with Him:  Judaism: Isaiah 43:3 “For I am The LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Sheba for thee.” Isaiah 43:4 “Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.” Isaiah 43:5 “Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;” 43:6 “I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;” 43:7 “Even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”  Christianity: John 16:27 “For the Father Himself loveth you.” 2 Corinthians 2:15 “For we are unto God a sweet savour.” Titus 3:3 “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.” Titus 3:4 “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,” 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” 3:6 “Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;” 3:7 “That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” 

 ISLAM: 172. “Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?” 

          (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   7) 

Islam: 92. “Verily, this Brotherhood of yours is a single Brotherhood, and I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore serve Me (and no other).” 

          (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  21) 

Islam: 126. “Allah (God), your Lord and Cherisher and The Lord and Cherisher of your fathers of old?” 182. “And praise to Allah, The Lord and Cherisher of the Worlds.” 

          (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  37) 

  ZOROASTRIANISM: “I (Ahura Mazda, God) created, O Spitama Zarathustra! the stars, the moon, the sun, and the red burning fire, the dogs, the birds, and the five kinds of animals; but, better and greater than all, I created the Righteous man who has truly received from Me the Praise.” “Adoration and praise be to the righteous Lord (Ahura Mazda) Who made man the greatest of all earthly creatures and through (the gift of) speech and the power of reasoning, created them for the sovereignty of the times and for the management of the creatures through the contest in battles against the daevas.” 

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta Fragments and Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1) 

 HINDUISM: “Take My last word, My utmost meaning have! Precious thou art to Me; right well-beloved! Listen! tell thee for thy comfort this. Give Me thy heart! adore Me! serve Me! Cling In faith and love and reverence to Me! So shalt thou come to Me! I promise true, For thou art sweet to Me! And let go those- Rites and writ duties! Fly to Me alone! Make Me thy single refuge! (I) will free Thy soul from all its sins! Be of good cheer!” “I am the Spirit seated deep in every creature’s heart; From Me they come; by Me they live; at My word they depart!” “He only knoweth- only he is free of sin, and wise, Who seeth Me, Lord of the Worlds with faith-enlightened eyes, Unborn, undying, unbegun.” 

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapters 10 and 18) 

 BUDDHISM: “Undisturbed shall Our mind remain, no evil words shall escape Our lips; friendly and full of sympathy shall We remain, with heart full of love, that person shall We penetrate with loving thoughts, wide, deep, boundless.” 

((The Eightfold Path), Buddha, the Word (The Eightfold Path)) 

 SABEANISM: “Look upon me with Your eyes and pity me in Your heart! Support me with Your strength, clothe me with Your glory, cover me with Your light. Cut me not off from Yourself! And put far from me fear, dread and terror.” 

     “Thou art He, Manda-d-Hiia! for Thou knowest About that in which the perfect man is made perfect, And about the virtuous man, in what his virtue consisteth.”

    “Thou hast chosen (us), hast taken us,…….and hast set us firmly on paths of truth and faith,” “And it was revealed to me (?) and to all of them in this book,”….. “and Thou hast spoken to us with Thy Word And hast commanded us with Thy commandment ‘Be My glory and I will be your Glory. Be my light and I will be your Light. And My name shall be in your mouths and I will be with you.” “Thou art he who shall rise upward on a smooth road and by the path of the perfect, shall behold the Place of Light and the everlasting Abode.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 43, 54, 75, 76 and 410) 

 BABI RELIGION: “O THOU cherished Fruit of the heart! Give ear to the melodies of this mystic Bird warbling in the loftiest heights of heaven. The Lord hath, in truth, inspired Me to proclaim: Verily, verily, I am God, He besides Whom there is none other God. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.” 

          (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 67) 

 Babi Religion: “He approached me and said: ‘I swear by the righteousness of Him who created man, distinguished him from among the rest of His creatures, and caused his heart to be made the seat of His sovereignty and knowledge,” “the purpose of God in creating man is but for him to know Him.” 

(The Bab, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 148 and Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 62) 

BAHA’I FAITH: “The soul that manifests pure deeds and spiritual graces is most precious in His sight and nearer to Him in its attainments.” “The Sun of Truth, the Word of God, shines upon all mankind; the divine cloud pours down its precious rain; the gentle zephyrs of His mercy blow, and all humanity is submerged in the ocean of His eternal justice and loving-kindness. God has created mankind from the same progeny in order that they may associate in good fellowship, exercise love toward each other and live together in unity and brotherhood.”  

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 283, 402) 

3. “O SON OF MAN! Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty.” 

4. “O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.” 

          (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)