Out of the Ordinary

I don't really know how to explain what happened today. For the past week or two I feel like I've been stuck. I've been trying to get my heart in the right place when it comes to Japan and this burden of raising money. A few days ago I told Audrey (via Skype Tag ;) ) that I was ready to give this problem over to Father and never pick it up again. I wanted to so badly, but I didn't know how. I knew (as I wrote about last time) that I had to get my heart in the right place because after all "Whatever is in your heart determines what you say" (Luke 6:45). Finally, last night and this morning God woke my heart up and got my attention.

Last night I went to the Village Church to meet up with a teammate of mine, Sarah. We do this on occasion and whoever speaks at the Village always does an AMAZING job! Well, last night Matt was giving an announcement about a missions project they'd been a part of for years when Sarah leaned over and told me something astonishing. She said that at Passion she learned that in Iraq Christianity is at about 3%. Seems low, right? But Japan is only about .5%. My heart broke in two. Matt talked about how they've been working in Guatemala and Asia and how they are going to begin working in Africa. That made me want to throw up. Why doesn't anyone care about Japan??

This morning a lady in our church gave a presentation about missionaries here in the U.S. All I could think over and over was why doesn't anyone care about Japan??? Father reviled three passages to me. In Mark 2:1-5 there is a story about a couple of guys who had a sick friend, but because of the crowd and the chaos they couldn't get him to Jesus in order for him to be healed. They went to the extreme. They dug a hole in the roof and lowered their lame friend down to where Jesus was teaching. I don't know if you know this...but that IS NOT NORMAL!!! They went to the extreme, thought out of the box, and out of the ordinary in order to save ONE person. I don't know what Father has planned for this summer, but I can tell you that there is only one name on my mind for when I get to work over there.

Another passage He showed me was in Luke 11:5-10. I heard this passage spoken about at the Village a few weeks ago and it has stuck with me. It's when Jesus is teaching about praying and being persistent. He says to keep asking, keep looking, and keep knocking. Time is scarce and we can't just ask once and then sit and mope when He says no or not yet.

The last passage He showed me was James 4:7-10.

"So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor."

I have been going about this all wrong. It's true that my heart has been broken for Japan for several years, but not in the right way. Why doesn't anyone care about Japan? Why is it that when people in the American church think of missions they automatically think of Asia, Africa, etc.? I mean, don't get me wrong, they need to hear the Good News, too, but what about Japan? What about the 99.5% of Japan that doesn't know who He is or what He's done? What about those people young and old who commit suicide every single day in Japan? What about those so deeply rooted in their traditions that they can't see the God has called them to a better and more freeing life!?!? WHY DOESN'T ANYONE CARE ABOUT JAPAN?????

You are God of this city
You are King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are

You are light in this darkness
You are hope to the hopeless
You are peace to the restless
You are

For there is no one like our God
There is no one like You, God

Greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done here.

You're the Lord of Creation
The Creator of all things
You're the King above all Kings
You are
You're the strength in our weakness
You're the love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness
You are

-God of This City
Chris Tomlin