What Does It Mean to Live with God?
Mother Moon offers a prayer for the victims of slavery at Gorée Island (2018)
By Lena Iwasaki
What does it mean to live with God? Mother Cabrini, Jesus Christ, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, and Reverend Sun Myung Moon are four examples of lives lived in service and sacrifice for God. From nations, countries, and communities, these individuals are recognized for their authentic relationship with God and how they lived it. They teach us that living with God also means living while connecting to the vision God has for us and the world. Living with God means giving.
We Learn From Our Past
What does it look like to live with God? How can I substantially live with God and feel it in my mind and soul every day? If you have had questions like these on your mind, you have to ask someone who has done it before. Understanding the life of saints and sages in our history is like following the recipe of a foreign dish you are trying to make. Would you ask your neighbor who has never eaten, made, or seen Japanese gyoza dumplings how to make them? No.
In the same way, our respected saints, sages, and religious figures can help us find the recipe for how to connect with God and share that connection with others.
“I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.”
God’s Vision Is Greater Than Your Own
Featured in a recent movie, the life of Mother Cabrini was far from easy. Born premature and frail, she lived most of her life being doubted by those around her. The only words that kept her from believing those doubts were, “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13). On her mission to the Americas, she encountered famine, disease, orphans, and children lacking proper education. Telling herself that she would serve her purpose, and not her weakness, within two years, Mother Cabrini was able to create a hospital for the poor in New York as well as schools for immigrants in Chicago.
Although inspired, realistically, this may not be the level of devotion and sacrifice we can all live. This may never have even crossed your mind, and that’s okay. What we can learn from Mother Cabrini as well as countless other figures who have lived their life with God is that through service, we are substantially practicing God’s word that in turn nourishes our relationship with Him.
Becoming the Word of God
We can say the same thing about Jesus Christ, Rev. Sun Myung Moon, and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon. Dr. Moon, the Mother of
In the Book of Matthew, Jesus disregards the teachers and Pharisees who speak God’s word without living by them. He says, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” (Mathew 23:23)
“Without sacrifice and service, one cannot even begin to think one is living for the sake of others rather than for oneself. As I strictly cultivated my faith from a young age, I cherished a dream deep within my heart. That dream was to liberate my Heavenly Father who, throughout history, gave Himself for the salvation of humanity.”
Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, also known as the Mother of Peace, emphasizes in her memoir the value of contributing our talents and passions to God’s vision of a peaceful world. Living her life knowing that Heavenly Father was truly her parent, she says,
“Without sacrifice and service, one cannot even begin to think one is living for the sake of others rather than for oneself. As I strictly cultivated my faith from a young age, I cherished a dream deep within my heart. That dream was to liberate my Heavenly Father who, throughout history, gave Himself for the salvation of humanity” (Mother of Peace, pg. 82)
Mother Moon has lived her life in service to God, her Heavenly Parent, with intense devotion throughout her 81 years. In her memoir, Mother Moon shares her heart over the pain that has been inflicted in this world and her desire to lift humanity out of suffering. During her visit to Gorée Island, the largest slave-trading center on the African coast, Mother Moon prayed, “I wanted to visit Gorée Island and liberate the historical agony and heartbreak of all the Africans who suffered due to the scourge of slavery…Humankind’s long, painful history of exploitation and deprivation of freedom must come to an end.”
We all have our own life of faith journeys and it may not look like Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon’s or Mother Cabrini's. Regardless, I can say through personal experience that the moments I have felt closest to Heavenly Parent were when I was completely out of my comfort zone. For instance, when I decided to become a youth pastor for our small community. It wasn’t necessarily a calling or because I had the skills to teach my younger brothers and sisters about God. I just knew that youth ministry was what kept me close to God growing up.
I get it. It’s hard to say “Yes” because maybe we’ve said that all our lives, and now we’re tired. Every single time I feel I'm being called to do something for Heavenly Parent, it is more daunting than the first time I learned to drive on the freeway. However, when you can say “Yes” in those overwhelming moments, you will feel the grace, power, and serenity that gives you the courage to move. There is a quote I like to chant to myself in these moments.
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” (Reinhold Niebuhr)
Starting Small
Living with God means living His word, and living His word means service to others. The religious figures mentioned above show us that when we give, we are bound to become closer to God because that is what God is doing as well. Needless to say, maybe we are not ready to give our whole life to service just yet. I know I am not. However, there are ways to do that whether it is tithing regularly, or plugging into something in your local community. Say yes to becoming a youth pastor or a volunteer for a service event. When we do something that is completely out of our vision and comfort zone, God will surely be there.