Saturday, May 31, 2008

Japan Journal - May 31st

Every week I meet for langauge exchange with a student called Kuniake. He is one of the few students who I actually study Japanese with as most just want to practice English. He sat in on a Bible study I did with Yusuke a few weeks ago but didn't say much. Afterwards he commented that he didn't see the point of the New Testament. It was clear he wasn't that interested and that was the end of it.

Last week he asked me if I'd like to go out for a meal. He is heading off to Europe soon (tomorrow) and so won't be able to meet up. We arranged to meet on Thursday at 6:30pm. I was teaching from 11:20 - 3:00 and then cycled down to the language centre for the weekly prayer meeting. Towards the end we split into groups and I asked my group to pray for the meal I would be having. I shared how I felt he wasn't really interested and didn't have a clue how to take things further in sharing the gospel with him. We prayed and then I rushed to the subway to arrive at the University at 6:25. At that point I was tired and couldn't really be bothered with the meal. At 6:40 he still hadn't come and I began to hope he wouldn't be coming. At 6:42 he arrived.

We went to a place near the uni which specialised in 'meat on sticks' as he put it. The idea is you just keep ordering little by little until you're full. We chatted for two hours about Japan and his trip to Europe and various other things. Throughout I had been praying that God would somehow give me the opportunity to share more about Him with Kuniake. I had no idea how to move the conversation in that direction. Kuniake asked me what I wanted to do in the future and I explained how I'd like to teach for a bit and then maybe go into full time Christian work (I had to simplify that somewhat as his english is good but not that good). The conversation moved on a bit and then a short while later he asked what I wanted to be when I was younger. I explained how I wanted to be a teacher or an architect or maybe work in cartoons. He asked me what had changed to make me want to be a pastor (as he put it).
Boom!
There's an opportunity if ever there was one. I got to talk about how I became a Christian and how everything changed because of what Jesus did. Throughout the next hour I was able to explain the gospel to him with the assistance of his pen and my napkin! It was sloppy and there was much repetition and use of his electronic dictionary but through the power of the Holy Spirit I was able to talk to him about: sin and judgement and Jesus' death and substitution and grace and eternal assurance.

I'm not sure how much he understood but from what he said he seemed to get it. He said he felt that people were already punished in their lives on earth and didn't see the need for another punishment when they die. He also felt that people shouldn't have to depend upon something other than themselves. A typical Japanese viewpoint. I encouraged him to read the Bible for himself and decide whether he could accept what he read to be true.

In the business of my day I had forgotten to bring a gospel or new testament just in case. I pray he either has one at home or finds one in a drawer on his trip through Europe and begins to read it for himself. I next see him in just over two weeks when we will have a meal together with Alex. Kuniake invited Alex (a member of the team) which is great because he has no other contact with FMZero or Christians.

Throughout chatting to Kuniake I was well aware just how useless in directing the conversation. When we did begin to talk about eternal things I often had no idea how to respond to things he said. I could only pray that God would be merciful and use me as he saw fit. He does not leave His children to witness alone. Without him I could literally do nothing. With him, I got to play a part in sharing His saving truth with someone who has no eternal hope. Pray that God will reveal the truth of how he deserves to be punished and how he can't rely upon himself. Pray that God would first break him so that he can then save him!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Japan Journal - May 26th

Definitely time for another post. For those who do check this regularly I apologise for the less than regular updates. It's not that nothing interesting has happened, quite the opposite. I find it really hard to know what to focus on as so much happens in such a short space of time. The result is either write loads, write nothing or spend a whole lot of time trying to walk the line. This time it's a long one!

The corner has been turned and I'm now looking down the home leg of my trip. The danger is that I begin to think more about what happens when I get back and take my focus off what's happening here. I prayed last night that I would have a genuine care for the people here and that I would be completely focussed on trying to reach them with the gospel. That my heart would be for Japan and not yet for England. God's response was not what I had in mind.

I spent the afternoon with Yusuke and we found ourselves in a bookshop for part of it. I wandered through the English books and ended up reading about the Samurai. Part of their focus is to have a constant awareness of death. They are supposed to spend every spare moment reflecting upon the closeness of death so that they will always live as if the moment they are in is their last. Not just a 'seize the day' philosophy but an awareness built upon genuine experience. For the Samurai, their next day could easily be their last. Living accordingly should make for a life focussed upon only on the most important things. Honour. Family. The life of a warrior. Although there was much I admired about their perspective, I was struck by the overwhelming lack of hope in what I was reading. They live for now, because now is all their is.

I've been reading a book on Holiness and the chapter I'm currently in is called 'The fight'. J.C.Ryle argues that the Christian life can never be one of ease and slumber, but for a Christian pursuing holiness it will always involve a measure of active warfare. We cannot 'sleep and doze along the way to heaven'. There is much in this world and even in our own bodies that would steer us from our course and we must be ready to fight them daily. Like the Samurai, the Christian is called to the life of a warrior. To fight daily for something that is worth fighting for. Samurai devote themselves to a system that requires everything of them. Contemplating death is supposed to stir them to life. Only they live without hope.

We on the other hand have an eternal hope. Death is not the end of our lives but the moment we are looking forward to most. The moment when we will see our Lord and saviour face to face. As we contemplate our own death we see the sacrifice of Christ and know that we can look forward to what is to come. We have heaven awaiting us. An eternity with the one who was willing to suffer death for our sakes. We know that what we do on earth has consequences that reach throughout eternity. We are fighting for a kingdom that will endure for all time.
Yet how often do we live like nothing we do really matters?
Are our lives completely devoted to a way of life that sees Jesus as our king?
Do we fight daily for a kingdom that has the power to save the soul from death and hell?

We have the greatest cause for hope and the greatest message the world could ever hear. May we never come close to 'dozing our way to heaven'.

That was the answer I got to may prayer to be focussed on Japan. My focus should not be Japan, but Christ and his kingdom. That's not to say I shouldn't pray for a heart for these people, I belive that is a necessary thing to have. But a heart that is first for God's kingdom to come and second for the specific people we are working with. Today I have been very aware that this day could be my last.
So how did I spend it?

I met with Alex and we talked about the work we are doing. We challenged one another that we should never be satisfied with tiny signs of encouragement. We should desire nothing less than for Christ to save all those he has led us to befriend. Not that we don't delight in growth or expect everything to happen in an instance. Only that we settle for nothing less than seeing people saved to a life of complete devotion to Christ.

I then sent a load of emails to meet up with students. Not the most exciting side of the work and therefore the side I am most prone to ignore. Yet how can I sahre Christ with people if I do not meet with them. Organisation can glorify God too, especially if it leads to people hearing the gospel.

I then met with Yusuke. Wednesday is bible study, Monday is English practice. We just chatted. Got to know each other better. Talked about hopes and dreams for the future. We shared our time and talked of things that were important to us. Pray that the better he knows me, the more he sees of Christ and his grace in my life.

Then went to the English speaking society and met a whole barrel of new people. Who knows which people I will be able to get to know better. Can't make friends if we never meet new people though. There was one guy who really struggles with social interaction and who was kind of ignored by the rest of the group. It was horrible to watch and I pray we will be able to befriend him. Not just so his life on earth is a little better, but so that he comes to see that the God who made him loves him and wants to have a relationship with him.

That was my day. Far from perfect. I lost focus far more times than I had it. I look at what I've written and most of it doesn't make sense, but it's honest and real and therefore I pray that God will use it. Please, if you take the time to read this, stop and take the time to look at your own life. Are you 'dozing your way to heaven'? That is not the life Christ died to give us. He fought for us that we might fight with him. Living every moment like it counts for all eternity.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Japan Journal - 12th May

Fukuinkan church – Sunday Morning. I prayed with Richard before I went that I would be able to encourage people in the church to reach out to their friends. People in the church have been really gracious in looking out for me and I want it to be that I am able to serve them in witnessing. The service was good and I’m beginning to get the hang of singing the odd string of words in songs (I have no idea what I’m singing but figure it must be fairly good). The moment the service ends is the worst bit. The pastor’s wife (my translator) leaves me because if she stays then people won’t even attempt to speak English to me. They get a little self-conscious which I can understand.


So I’m on my own at the back of church. The building had 4 floors with the church on the top two. Church lunch is on the second floor which I feel I need to attend if I’m to have any hope of being part of the church. So I head down which buys me some time, get my food and then have to choose where to sit. I went and sat with two lads who were sat on their own. One of them was there for the first time so I figured I might be able to relate to how he was feeling. I was a bit disappointed that none of the people from the church had gone to sit with them. After about 10 minutes of attempted conversation things went very quiet. They spoke a tiny bit of English and didn’t like football, movies or western music. That was pretty much my topics of conversation exhausted. I was in trouble. I prayed. I prayed that God would step in and help.


Within the space of a minute a girl I’d met before came and sat with us. She speaks great English and so was able to guide the conversation including both the lads and myself. Just perfect! A few minutes later another couple of girls joined us. Then a guy. Then a load of little kids. Suddenly we were in the middle of a very relaxed, enjoyable gathering. I hope they felt welcome and like they were a part of something. I wanted to make them feel at home but knew I could barely introduce myself. So I did what I could and prayed the rest. God took care of it!

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Sapporo