11. Dedication ( Self-surrender )

(1) Surrender Brings Joy

Who am I? I have no strength save what God gives me. I have no authority over my countrymen save the purely moral. If He holds me to be a pure instrument for the spread of non-violence, He will give me the strength and show me the way. My greatest weapon is mute prayer. The cause of peace is, therefore, in God's good hands. Nothing can happen but by His will expressed in His eternal, changeless Law which is He. We neither know Him nor His Law, save through the glass darkly. But the faint glimpse of the Law is sufficient to fill me with joy, hope and faith in the future.

I must go with God as my only guide. He is a jealous Lord. He will allow no one to share His authority. One has, therefore to appear before Him in all one's meekness, empty-handed and in a spirit of full surrender, and He enables you to stand before the whole world and protects you from all harm.

I have been a willing slave to this most exacting Master for more than half a century. His voice has been increasingly audible as years have rolled by. He has never forsaken me in my darkest hour. He lias saved me often against myself and left me not a vestige of independence. The greater the surrender to Him the greater has been my joy.

(2) God Moves and Protects All

We are but straws in the hands of God. He alone can blow us where He pleases. We cannot oppose His wish.

If we can but throw ourselves into His lap as our only Help, we shall come out scatheless through every ordeal. If nothing happens without His permission, where is the difficulty in believing that he is trying us. I would take our complaints to Him for so cruelly trying us. And He will soothe us and forgive us if we will but trust Him.

We must learn, each one of us, to stand alone. God only is our infallible and eternal guide. . . .God helps the helpless not those who believe they can do something. . . . Those who put their implicit faith in Him cannot but reach their aims.

No one can see God face to face who has aught of an "I" in him. He must become a cipher if he would see God. Who shall dare say in this storm- tossed universe: "I have won" ? God triumphs in us, never we.

(3) Dedicate All to God

In a moment of introspection, the poet asks himself:

"O man, why have you left off taking God's name ?

You have not given up anger or lust or greed, But you have forgotten Truth.

What a tragedy to save worthless pennies,

And to let go the priceless gem of God's love

O Fool, renounce all vanities,

And throw yourself on the grace of God alone."

This does not mean that if one has wealth, it should be thrown away, and wife and children should be turned out of doors. It simply means that one must give up attachment to these things and dedicate one's all to God and make use of His gifts to serve Him only. It also means that if we take His name with all our being, we are automatically weaned from all lust, untruth and baser passions.

We must eternally sing His praise and do His will. Let us dance to the tune of His bansi (flute) and all would be well.