Well, God's timing is still beyond us. I suppose (if you can understand the thread of logic I am following now) it always will be. Back on the 3rd Sunday of June in the year 2000, I wrote these words: "I had thought we were leaving Japan forever," well, it appears we have. We have returned to our province of British Columbia, and to our first haunts of the Vancouver Lower Mainland, after leaving Oita, Japan, on March 10th, and it is with the perspective of almost two months away from Japan that I write now.

I will always miss her, and her people, but I suppose really that the "her" that I speak of is Japan, and not the land, itself, but the people who have comprised it - so I am being redundant.

Our return came with our decision to move on after petitioning the Lord for 6 months to allow us a way to remain. We had accepted a precident, begun by our predicessor there, to stay until a new teacher was found for the Hello English Program of Chapel Noah's, but were forced to abandon that when we were warned that our income was to be cut to one third of its guaranteed minimum. We accepted this as a confirmation from our Lord that it was time to leave. And, leaving was very well provided for, again, in the Lord's sovereign plans. There was no mistaking His grace and peace then.

A brief note now; I am updating my home page with the inclusion of memorable photos taken of friends and faces in Oita. For those of you reading, who love the Lord, I would ask you to remember the Japanese and the Nation of Japan in your prayers. A new PM, Koizumi, now resides in parliament, who promises to usher in a new age. However, the weights of the world may distort that change into one no Christian would be proud of. Pray that my lady is strengthened in the Lord, to stand repentant and free and blessed with her Lord's (our God's) great and undiminished love. Pray for us as we continue to look for work, and that I will some day complete the work I have started on this web site. God bless you all!

Though the parting has been hard for me, I would like to leave you with the thoughts of chayil@clnk.com, who, I suppose, prefers to remain unnamed. This writer is part of a Yahoo eGroup that is titled "BibleStudyNotes" and what he or she has written for 05/01/01 in particularly with respect to John 1:29-34 seems very applicable now:

"John knew His mission. His mission was to prepare the way, to make ready the people to receive the kingdom of God, and the King of that kingdom. He was so in tune with the Spirit which led him, that when he saw Jesus that day at the river, he called Him the Lamb of God, and the Son of God. He was so sure, that he pronounced Jesus as the Messiah before all who would hear. Yet -

Yet there would come a day, when he had neared the end, that he would have to send messengers to Jesus to confirm what he is so sure of here. There would come a day when he just wasn't so sure anymore. Perhaps things were going on in his life that he hadn't counted on, and things weren't happening as fast as he thought they were supposed to.

He wasn't the only one, of course. Mary had visitations from angels, she had angelic protection and confirmation, and yet there would come a day when even she was unsure (Mk 3:21). She knew her mission, she was sure about it when she agreed to it before the angel sent to tell her about it. Yet -

God has a plan and a purpose for each of us. And there are times when we feel so sure, that yes! God is going to use us! And then it seems like nothing is happening. It seems God forgot the desires He has placed in our hearts. It would appear that God has found someone else, more capable, more dynamic, more faithfilled. And those are the times we will entertain doubt. Even John the Baptist did it. Mary, the mother of the Christ did it. So we are in some pretty good company. But in spite of the doubts and fears, God did fulfill His will through them. And He will in us too. We just need to repent, and go on. We need to continue to do what He last told us to do until He tells us something else. And when the time comes for us to accomplish all that He has purposed for us, then we will be ready to move into it. I don't know. Just felt like someone needed to hear that."

Well, I needed to hear that, chayil, thank you.

All Sermons were translated by Junko Okamoto - Edited for the Net by Shido
For the last recorded special sermon see: Oita Evangelical Christ Church
For all sermon indicies see: cHaPeL nOaH sErMoN iNdEx