Worship

In Islam it is believed that through intention (niyyah) every act may become an act of worship. And that without pure intention, no act, however exalted or ‘holy’ can qualify as worship.

To me, when our intention is based in Love*, we worship with every breath.

Real love in our hearts sensitises us to those around us.

Love is a living thing, a giving thing. It is not something that resides quietly in the corner of our hearts.

Love is creative by nature. It leads to actions.

Love leads us to take risks with our heart; it leads us to face our personal fears in order to give a gift we value more.

Put simply, love leads us to serve. Whether it is to feed the hungry one beside us on the bus from our own lunch bag, or to lead a revolution against poverty globally, love ignites passion and creativity in us and causes us to want to share what we have in ways that will benefit more than just ourselves.

It seems I have heard so often that love takes sacrifice. Yet the beautiful truth I perceive is that when love truly lives in our hearts, we do not feel sacrifice in our service. We only willingly embrace an opportunity give a gift of love. The love in our intentions gives us sustenance and joy.

When we act in true service, we also worship.

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Where there is love and faith, we hold the knowledge that God is Love and that we serve Him even as we serve another. 

I may worship Him, not just by loving Him and receiving His Love for myself, but by honouring His Love for all things and persons.

What a dream, to let Gods Love permeate my life to such an extent that I could honour Him, and serve others, in every breath and act.

Intention and longing must be my first steps to achieve this goal.

In this I know my need for God. If I am to love all things just as He does, I need Him to teach me love.

I am meek in my need.

Yet how beautiful that my desire to love would lead me to find worship and my desire for worship leads me again to my need to learn love.

God, help me to know the true nature of love, in its creativity, its vigour and hope.

Let me have a humble heart so that love may lead me thoughtlessly and joyfully to serve my brothers and sisters.

I pray for the development of my soul so that you may receive my worship, even through the routine acts of my day-to-day life.

* A Love in harmony with Divine Love