Land of the Rising Sun

     I noticed I've had 2 people from Japan view my blog! That's exciting to me!! Hello, Japan!!! Jesus loves you!!!
     I have already stated that people from other nations intrigue me, even though I have limited knowledge about them. Hmmmm, let's see-what do I know about Japan or have associations with it in any way?
     The first thing I think of is that my sister-in-law's brother, Leonard, and his wife were once missionaries to Japan. I was touched when I first heard that many years ago, and I was very young and naive then too. I thought that if someone had been called to be a missionary, then they had pledged to do that all the days of their life, and would live there always, no matter what happened. Well, later I heard that Leonard and his wife had left Japan, and then later divorced. Enough of my fairy-tale idealism! 
     Then, although I tried to push the memory back, I thought of how the US. dropped the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ending WWII. I read a book about it a few years ago, featuring different people's testimonies of what they were doing that day when the bomb hit, how they were affected, and what they are doing today. It was very uncomfortable and anxiety producing to face that cities were not just destroyed, but individual people. "Collateral damage" to use war terms. I hate those words, as they minimize the pain ,suffering and reality of what really happened. Please forgive us!
     The next memory, sort of associated with the one above is the fact that my Dad, who served proudly in the US Navy called the Japanese soldiers, "Japs," which was a derogatory term. Everytime I heard him use it, my stomach got quezy, because I don't like to hear anyone put down another people group. They are God's creation.
      On the lighter side, I think of the chef's that perform in the Japanese style restaurants here in America, chopping, flipping, and enflaming various dishes they are cooking. It's quite a show; very entertaining.
     I've also come in contact with someone lately who loves the Japanese people very much. I'm not sure why she has this attraction, but maybe it's because God is calling her to do mission work over there, but I don't even think she knows God speaks in that way. Maybe I should tell her.
     I've heard the Japanese are very industrious people, as most Asians are.  Their flag is white with a red circle in the middle, and I'm not sure what that stands for. (Maybe I'll "google" it later today)
I think of rice, kimonos, and the beautiful Japanese doll my son bought his daughter when he had a lay-over there on his way to Thailand last summer.
     Why am I writing these things? What does this have to do with the Kingdom of God? Well, the words of a song come to mind: "To know, know, know you , Is to love, love, love you," the song goes. Having a couple of people from Japan view my blog has quickened my mind to my associations with that country and made me focus on it,and those two people in particular. God knows them intimately, as He created everything about them. He sees them  even now.
Dear Lord-Whoever the Japanese people are who viewed this blog, I ask you to make Yourself known to them today. Please send laborers into their lives to testify of Your love and Grace that is available to them, and if they already know you, increase their understanding of that immeasurable Love and Grace towards us who believe. Amen.