I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. It feels good.
This Sunday started out like it normally would. I walked to Yoonkyung and Hana's dorm to climb into the church van. It was especially hot in the morning, which reminds me of how Delaware generally likes to skip spring and head straight into summer weather. We arrived at church and walked across the street to the local convenience store for breakfast, something that is quickly becoming a tradition of ours. Once we had something in our stomachs, the three of us returned to start worship practice. I think it is interesting how I quickly I was accepted as part of the worship team. True, the church has maybe twenty people, but I already feel like family. It is a wonderful feeling.
I sang several songs with Yoonkyung, Hana, Miki, Takeshi, and Songhi (spelling is probably wrong, forgive me). Then, our pastor gave his message on Romans 8:26-30, which was exactly what I needed to hear. I have been feeling really down lately about not being able to communicate well in Japanese, and God definitely spoke to me about it!
Romans 8:
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans*. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
It was the "wordless groans" that really hit me. The Holy Spirit communicates to all people in all languages, and that's because God does not use the language of men to speak to us-- he speaks directly to our very souls. It was such a moving revelation that it brought me to tears. I know that God can use me here in Japan even if I cannot speak, similar to how Moses said he was not good at speaking when he was sent to liberate Israel. Even though I came to Japan to study, it seems that God has a much bigger purpose for me here than I realized. I have already been able to speak to many nonbelievers about Christ, and my eyes have been opened to new ways of worshipping and communicating.
I was really pleased that I could understand a lot of the service today, too. Of course, Yoonkyung sat next to me and we scribbled notes back and forth, so that was helpful. Because it was Mother's Day, we sang a special song at the end of the service and gave all of the mother's flowers. It was really sweet because our pastor said to Yoonkyung, Hana, and I, that because we were exchange students, all of the mothers in the church would be our mothers! They even prayed for my mom, which almost had me crying again. Once the service was finished, Yoonkyung left to visit Osaka with her two Korean friends, so Hana and I practiced with the worship team. Before we left, a mom in the church gave Hana and I tea cups and plates since we couldn't see our mom's on Mother's Day-- how sweet!
Once our pastor dropped us off by the train station, Hana and I decided to go out for a treat. She showed me this place where we ate... I don't even know what to call it. Think of ice cream, but with the fluffy, airy consistency of cotton candy. Whatever it was called, it was absolutely delicious. Hana had to go to her part time job after that, but we met up again for dinner at a place called Kame (which means turtle). We ate omerice and talked for a while. Talking with Hana was easier than I thought it would be. She doesn't speak any English so I sometimes worry about how I will say things.
After dinner was over, we ventured back to Hana's dorm and looked up music videos on the internet. She showed me some more popular Korean and Japanese pop bands and I showed her Maroon 5. Once we got bored with that, we sat on her bed and talked about normal things, like guys we had liked in the past, etc. In the middle of our talking, Yoonkyung returned from Osaka. I was in such a silly-happy mood that I tackled her as soon as she came through the door. This led to a wrestling match that was interrupted frequently by fits of giggles. The rest of the night continued in a similar fashion to the point where I was breathless from how much I had been laughing. I ended up leaving the dorm around midnight and remember admiring the sleeping city streets and thinking: "Life is good."
This Sunday started out like it normally would. I walked to Yoonkyung and Hana's dorm to climb into the church van. It was especially hot in the morning, which reminds me of how Delaware generally likes to skip spring and head straight into summer weather. We arrived at church and walked across the street to the local convenience store for breakfast, something that is quickly becoming a tradition of ours. Once we had something in our stomachs, the three of us returned to start worship practice. I think it is interesting how I quickly I was accepted as part of the worship team. True, the church has maybe twenty people, but I already feel like family. It is a wonderful feeling.
I sang several songs with Yoonkyung, Hana, Miki, Takeshi, and Songhi (spelling is probably wrong, forgive me). Then, our pastor gave his message on Romans 8:26-30, which was exactly what I needed to hear. I have been feeling really down lately about not being able to communicate well in Japanese, and God definitely spoke to me about it!
Romans 8:
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans*. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
It was the "wordless groans" that really hit me. The Holy Spirit communicates to all people in all languages, and that's because God does not use the language of men to speak to us-- he speaks directly to our very souls. It was such a moving revelation that it brought me to tears. I know that God can use me here in Japan even if I cannot speak, similar to how Moses said he was not good at speaking when he was sent to liberate Israel. Even though I came to Japan to study, it seems that God has a much bigger purpose for me here than I realized. I have already been able to speak to many nonbelievers about Christ, and my eyes have been opened to new ways of worshipping and communicating.
I was really pleased that I could understand a lot of the service today, too. Of course, Yoonkyung sat next to me and we scribbled notes back and forth, so that was helpful. Because it was Mother's Day, we sang a special song at the end of the service and gave all of the mother's flowers. It was really sweet because our pastor said to Yoonkyung, Hana, and I, that because we were exchange students, all of the mothers in the church would be our mothers! They even prayed for my mom, which almost had me crying again. Once the service was finished, Yoonkyung left to visit Osaka with her two Korean friends, so Hana and I practiced with the worship team. Before we left, a mom in the church gave Hana and I tea cups and plates since we couldn't see our mom's on Mother's Day-- how sweet!
Once our pastor dropped us off by the train station, Hana and I decided to go out for a treat. She showed me this place where we ate... I don't even know what to call it. Think of ice cream, but with the fluffy, airy consistency of cotton candy. Whatever it was called, it was absolutely delicious. Hana had to go to her part time job after that, but we met up again for dinner at a place called Kame (which means turtle). We ate omerice and talked for a while. Talking with Hana was easier than I thought it would be. She doesn't speak any English so I sometimes worry about how I will say things.
After dinner was over, we ventured back to Hana's dorm and looked up music videos on the internet. She showed me some more popular Korean and Japanese pop bands and I showed her Maroon 5. Once we got bored with that, we sat on her bed and talked about normal things, like guys we had liked in the past, etc. In the middle of our talking, Yoonkyung returned from Osaka. I was in such a silly-happy mood that I tackled her as soon as she came through the door. This led to a wrestling match that was interrupted frequently by fits of giggles. The rest of the night continued in a similar fashion to the point where I was breathless from how much I had been laughing. I ended up leaving the dorm around midnight and remember admiring the sleeping city streets and thinking: "Life is good."
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| Um. I can explain? |
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