“We’re Small, But Mustn’t Forget That God Is Great”

Message: God is great and can do great things. That’s exactly what a small minority should not forget when facing the huge problems of the world

Part 3 of extracts from a sermon titled “In Our Parent’s House”, that Dr. Michael Balcomb, the President of the Europe and the Middle East Region of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, gave at the Sunday service in North London on 15th September 2024. Slightly edited. 

See part 1, part 2

So what’s going to happen next year? […] What does Mother Moon want to do? […]

Mother is thinking of this very simple ceremony. She will enter the Cheonwon Temple, the sanctum alone, and she’ll offer a prayer to God and then be surrounded by children and people of all different backgrounds and faiths to show God we want you to use this place to be free, to use it as a palace of peace. […]

The True Parents used to talk about the […] things that make up a kingdom. […] But actually, the most important thing is the people, right? If it were not for people, God would have built the Kingdom of Heaven a long time ago. But it’s all about the people, and that is us. But it’s also everyone.

I don’t know if you read the news yesterday of the Pope, who’s on tour in the Far East, and what he said, it was very controversial, even in the Catholic Church, but he said that all religions are pathways to God. All religions are like different languages to understand the truth of God. And if we feel that my religion is better than your religion, or my truth is higher than your truth, that only leads to conflict and misery.

Pretty strong words for the Pope. I was very happy to see them, and I think that kind of spirit is in the air.

It’s certainly the goal that the True Parents have for this amazing facility in Korea. […]

Mother emphasised so much recently the need for outreach. […] And […] we should care about people […] because they are the sons and daughters of God.

Sometimes when I really am upset with someone, which happens quite often, I hear the voice of God, and it’s always the same message, God says,

“You are upset with those persons because they’re not like you, they’re not in your image. They don’t correspond to what you think is a good person, a righteous person, a beautiful person. But I want you to remember that they are in my image, each and every one of them, faults, warts, mistakes and all. And if you want me to look at you with kindness and graciousness, you had better start doing the same.”

It seems, from our experience, that this is impossibly idealistic, right?

The world is huge, and it’s full of conflict. What can a small group of people do to redress the balance? But if we feel like that, we’re ignoring the fact that God is God, that God is great, and God is on the throne if we let him or her be.

I’ve asked Mother Moon about this many times,

“I kind of feel, Mother, do you know what’s going on in Korea? We talk about Korean unification, but meanwhile, in the north, they’re destroying the railways, the bridges, all the effort that was made over 40 years, they’re wiping it away.”

And she said,

“Yes, but that’s human effort. What’s done can be undone very quickly. What you have to realise is how to harness the power and the spirit of God.”

As it says,

“Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord.” (Zechariah 4:6)

“Why doesn’t God exercise that spiritual power right away?” I asked myself. It’s because he wants us to be part of it. He’s always wanted us. It’s our kingdom, it’s our family, it’s our palace.

And if it’s just done for us, and no one takes responsibility, it will end up in that pile of rubble where people walk by, because what we need is deep, powerful ownership and feeling this is mine. […]

What do you need to do? The most important thing that we’ve been asked to do is to bring ourselves with the best heart and attitude we can have, to have a pure, upright mind. As King David said once,

“Create in me a clean heart, O Lord.” (Psalm 51:10)

If we’re honest, we’re not like that all the time. You’ve probably heard there’s going to be an opportunity for devotion and grace. Sometimes people think,

“Why do I need grace? I haven’t robbed anybody, I haven’t committed adultery, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs, I don’t beat my wife. I’m already perfect.”

But for me, it’s always more about the things that I didn’t do, the sins of omission, the love that I didn’t give, the responsibility I didn’t take.

Everybody’s different, but definitely we have an opportunity to make a fresh start. So, if you’re planning to come, please think about how, as an individual, as a family, we could make such a fresh start. […]

Please think to yourself, “Can I be there? Shall I be there?”

Of course, not everybody can be in that small sanctuary on the same day, but there will be a very well organised system of timed admission. So if you come, you will have your moment to be in the temple of God, the dwelling place of God. I think it’s worth it.

See part 1, part 2

Featured image above: Mother Moon at an international leders’ meeting in Gapyeong, South Korea 6th September 2024. Photo: Screenshot from PeaceTV

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