On the surface
September 22, 2009
Some places in Japan looks very western. There may be a McDonalds on one corner and a Starbucks on the other. Regional cities have several large malls much like the ones in America and other western countries. Music, clothing, technology all speak of westernization. However, in the regional areas, if you enter a home you may find it looks very different. You may be confronted with a God shelf which dominates the main room of the home.
A family may go out to dinner at McDonalds, then return home and pray to their ancestors before a god shelf. Many times we westerners are confused by the response of Japanese who seem so western on the surface. We think they have forsaken their traditions and customs and expect that when we tell them about Christ and his gift of salvation they will respond positively. Accepting western culture does not equate giving us ancestor worship or embracing Jesus. That fact should compel us to fervent prayer.
Many are still tied to the past through the desire to please family, whether living or dead. Some want to pay for their salvation, others want to work for it. Still others want to be with their ancestors even if it means eternal separation from God.
Pray for our laborers to know how to effectively share the gospel with the Japanese. Pray that the Japanese will have the veil lifted from their eyes so they can see that following Jesus is not joining a foreign religion but beginning a relationship with God through his Son, Jesus Christ. Pray for the Holy Spirit to reach deep into their hearts and shine the light of the truth into the darkness there.
