This is the month when the Japanese celebrate the beauty of the cherry blossom trees and when spring begins to manifest itself all over the beautiful land of Japan. Flowers are blooming, the weather is getting warmer, once barren trees are being clothed again in green, and celebrations and festivals are being put on and attended in many cities across Japan.
One of the disappointing things the Rainers learned about the cherry blossoms is that the blooms last for about a week – only one week! – before the pink petals begin to snow down onto their eventual resting place. But isn’t that part of what makes these trees all the more awe-inspiring & beautiful? If they were always around, always in bloom, we may still recognize their beauty, but in some way, we would all take them much more for granted.
In the same way, our lives are like those cherry trees. A life is such a beautiful thing, such a blessing, and a human being is such a marvelous creation with the intricacies of sight, communication, feeling, soul, amd so many other miraculous aspects that make up man. But I think we often forget that our life is like a vapor (James 4:14) because we cannot appreciate the span of time that has come before us and we cannot imagine that there may be thousands of years behind us once we pass. In God’s economy, eternity, our lives are literally like the passing of the cherry blossom – a short span between budding, blooming, & blowing away.
The Japanese do not consider the after-life and what will happen to them when they die. Pray that as the Rainers share their lives with the Japanese that they will be able to communicate the Gospel in a meaningful way and that the Japanese will respond with repentance and faith. Pray that the Japanese will consider the brevity of their lives and look to the beautiful Savior whose glory blooms and radiates eternally. Pray that the Rainers will number their days, and seek to live every moment in Japan with the reality that though we live in the Spring of Christ, those all around us are perishing in the Winter of Judgment.
by David Rainer
http://davidrainer.blogspot.com/
Thank you for reminding us all to number our days as we seek to live out the Gospel. Praying that God will enable you to communicate the good news of Christ effectively even as you still are learning the language.
The blossoms of the cherry trees remind me that all of God’s creation was made for a purpose and that purpose is fulfilled according to God’s will. Only man has rebelled from his created purpose.
I pray that your ministries in Japan will lead many there to reconciliation through Christ to God the Father so that all of His sons and daughters in Christ will meet our created purpose to honor Him by our loving obedience.
Dear Father
All authority is given to Christ in Heaven and on earth. In Jesus name please open the eyes, ears, and hearts the Japanese people to the glorious gospel and lead many to be born again.
In Jesus name amen.
It’s been a while for me. School is out this week. after a bad cold I am at work this afternoon, Ap. 9, 3:13pm cst. My how we pray for God to keep you strong and give you great endurance and peace. How we thank the The Lord for you and the great work in which He is using you!. Psalm 50:14, & 15. ol’ soakey head deakins