Time in Tokyo

 I have been staying in Tokyo to visit my sister for about one week.  This area where I am staying (the name of city is Takadanobaba) are called "Student Street". It because there are many universities & colleges which means there are many students. Also there are many business people & foreigners.  Anywhere you go, you just see people, people, people.  As I am not a "City person", I felt overwhelmed soon enough.  I could put myself the place to not be along these people. Yet I thought I want to try to see these people from God's sight and to find where I can see God.  It sounds funny but I feel I am in some other country where I don't belong with.  

 Yesterday I went to another cities in Tokyo to see my friends.  It was Sunday so I expected to see more people whenever I go.  First friend I saw was the Japanese lady I met in Misawa.  She worked in Misawa for one year and came back to Tokyo six weeks ago.  She had a hard time to live in Misawa where is countryside.  Yesterday she looked like more cheerful than when she was in Misawa.  As we started talking, however, I saw the emptiness.  After we had some lunch and coffee, we were walking around.  What my impression was?  "TOO BUSY!" "TOO MUCH!" TOO NOISY!" My friend said to me, "Tokyo is the place for me. I feel secure. I can get whatever I want and I can do whatever I want."  

 When I was on the train that takes me to the next train(I was by myself), I was watching people inside & outside train.  These people are too busy to get whatever they want so they cannot see what they really need.  There are too much things in this city so people cannot feel or know they need to know God.  It is too noisy in this city so they cannot hear God.  I prayed.  I was remembering about the trip to the disaster area from last weekend.  Is there any difference between the disaster areas and Tokyo or any other cities regarding a need of salvations?  I saw the difference in myself.  When I go to the disaster areas, I can be more bold to share the gospel & the love of Christ.  I think it because I can see clearly their sufferings, their pain, their lost.....  I know for sure people here in Tokyo has also some sufferings, pain, lost, emptiness. 

  Before I saw my another friend for dinner, I was able to go to New Hope(The international church) and attend to the service.  There were many Japanese people to meet Jesus, to praise Him and worship Him together.  I was encouraged by being able to worship with them.  Yes, God is working here in Tokyo and everywhere in Japan!  Also I was very encouraged and challenged by the message.  "Are you listening to God and obeying God?"  Even for us, for Christian, as we live in this ungodly world, we tend to get too busy. We tend to put ourselves the place where is too noisy. We tend to have too many things.  Then we are not able to listen to God and obey Him.  

 "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands 

      I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth"   

                                                                                              Deuteronomy 28:1

 God also gave me another scripture through my friend who had dinner with me. 

"Examine yourselves to see where you are in the faith; test yourselves. 

      Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you? "        2Corinthians 13:5-6

 I truly believe that God has some reasons He brought me here in Tokyo for one week.  Even I am in the city where is too noisy, I have been able to listen to God. 

 Praise the Lord! 

Dear Lord,

Thank you for knowing Japanese people.  

Thank you for loving them deeply.

Thank you for all works you have been doing here in Japan. 

Lord,

I pray that one day these people realize that they need to be saved and come to know you. 

I pray for Japanese politicians.  

Please help us, as Christian, to examine ourselves all the time to see where we are in the faith.

Please help us to see the need in this ungodly world each day.

Please give us more boldness to share the gospel & the Love of Christ. 

In your holy name I pray, 

Amen.