Bhagwan Krishna states a special law: “In whatever way my devotees
worship me so do I approach them…….’’ Geeta verse 11 of chapter 4.
Prophet Mohammed also made a similar declaration [in Hadith Sahih- Al Bukhari]
“I am as my servant thinks [expects] I am.’’
What did GOD mean by it? We will make an effort to interpret it.
Yes an effort only, because man cannot fully understand things of God for “my
ways are higher than yours…wisdom of man is foolishness with God.”
Perhaps the above declaration means that almighty is like a mirror he
reflects the very same image we show Him. When we smile He smiles back, when we
make a face at it, the image in the mirror also makes a face at us .Prahalad
tells, “Whatever honour a devotee offers to God, God returns to him that very
same honour; thus from God we get whatever we give to Him, just as a beautiful
face gets a beautiful reflection in the mirror’’…...bhagvat 7.9.11. What if we
close our eyes; we see nothing in the mirror. This closing our eyes is like
ignoring the Omnipotent, not thinking of Him, not dwelling our thoughts
on Him , takes us away from Him. Going away from Him is tantamount to
depriving ourselves of all that God stands for---- love, compassion, power,
faith, wisdom, wealth, bliss, fulfilment etc. He is, perhaps, like plasticine.
We can mould it into any shape. Or perhaps He is like subconscious mind about which
the psychologists say that it is amenable to the suggestions of the conscious
mind, that is, whatever the conscious mind impresses upon it to be true the
subconscious mind produces that in the material world. Dr Murphy calls it big
ME. Perhaps He is like soil, producing in accordance with the seed
planted...Maybe God acts in accordance with the law of reciprocal relationship
which means an action will generate like reaction.
Can we be bold enough to believe that God will become anything for
us? The logical and spiritual way to give meaning to the words of God in para 1
can only be this: “Whatever we think of Him, expect Him to be, that He
becomes for us. How unambiguous and clear the word “I am with him when he
mentions Me; I take his name when he takes My name, that is, thinks of Me. If
he mentions Me to himself I mention him to Myself and if he mentions Me in an
assembly I mention him in an assembly greater than it. If he draws to Me
by a hand’s length. I draw to him an arms length. And if he comes to Me
walking, I go to him at speed. ’’
Our mirror analogy and another analogies fail for God is much more
than these---- the Infinite cannot be defined in a finite way. Not only He
reciprocates our feelings for Him but returns them manifold. About this Ibm
Hajar has this to say,” I am able to do whatever he expects I will do’’.
Bible says,’’ According to thy Faith it is done to you.’’
Luke 8.48 ---- ‘’your faith has made you well’’…. Our
prayers are answered if we expect [believe] them to---- Mark vs 24 Chapter11
Thus we conclude He is God of Grace.
Though gracious and loving, He has also given as free will. It is
for us to go to Him. He is waiting for us. The prodigal is always welcome with
open arms. What a concession from the One who is All Powerful. ---What we think
of Him He becomes that for us. In Bhagwat [भागवत] Brahma [ ब्रह्मा ] gives his considered
opinion, “You can be realised by remembrance. The way your devotees think of
You, You take that very form to bless them.’’----3.9.11. The same
principle finds place in mudgal up.--3/3 and Shvetashvater Upanishad. 4/3
.To please his devotees God[or brahm as worshippers of the formless call him]
takes any form which they desire Him to take .God has given you a concession to
worship him with any feeling, that is, bhav[ भाव ]. The whole idea is
to keep Him in our minds -- enmity, fear, love, relationship or fulfilment of
any desire ---and we will attain Him only. This is again wisdom from
Bhagwat [भागवत] --] 7.1.25. He
recognises no difference in your type of feelings. If you take poison
knowingly, or if somebody gives you poison and you are unaware, the result will
be the same; same with God. If your mind is exclusively on Him you will obtain
Him only--- infinite bliss, peace,, love, eternal life and all that He is,
notwithstanding your feeling ,that is ,bhav [ भाव ] towards Him .
We will have to be aware of the fact that the Almighty who can
become whatever we expect Him to be, will remain an ordinary human being for us
if we think of Him as such .Declares Krishna in Gita [ गीता ],” Men who lack understanding think of Me, The Unmanifested as a
perceptible ordinary human being not knowing My supreme state’’---7.24.For such
persons KRISHNA becomes an ordinary human being, and hides His Real
Self behind His divine potency, Maya [माया ] .Krishna calls such people fools--- Geeta9.11. These
people can never attain God or get their desires fulfilled by Him.
In conclusion, we find that everything is up to us. All we have to
do is to attach ourselves with Him. The ball is in our court. Everything
depends on us only. That is how we hit the ball; the way we hit it, it will
rebound in the same way. If you think God forgives you, He does. . If you think
He will give us the desired thing, position, person, situation or feeling, He
will. Once again, the law is,” He is what we expect Him to be.’’ However,
no matter what we expect him to be, He can never be the following things for
us:-1- finite how can the infinite be this; 2- unjust, how can a just God be
this; 3- ungracious, how can God lose graciousness; 4- without bliss, how can
He give-up His nature. Just as fire cannot give up its inherent nature:
to give light and heat, so also God cannot give up his Being that is Sat Chit
Anand [सत चित आनंद]. God adjusts to our expectations but cannot change His
Being because of our erroneous thoughts regarding His nature.
Sources---
1. hadith a day.org,
2. Bible,
3. Bhagwat,
4. Geeta,
5. Dr Murphy’s book “Techniques in Prayer
Therapy’’
May
this inspire you to go Godwards. God is your insurance for health, happiness,
prosperity, all good things of life and liberation / salvation.
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