22/2/2016-2/3/2016 : Hokkaido, Hanzona- Momiji Lodge : Pondering ..........
On this trip, I read this book "Oswald Chambers Abandoned to God - the Life story of the Author of My Utmost for His Highest". (1874-1917) Born in Scotland. And to my utmost surprise- he preached in Japan years back! Died at the age of 43 due to complications of appendicitis surgery while serving as Chaplain in Egypt. His writings were compiled by his wife Biddy from her own verbatim shorthand notes of his talks.
So this is Japan. 100 years back was evangelised by one such great man of faith like Oswald Chambers. Today, Japan is still a spiritually hard ground.
Recalling back, I have been to Japan for ski trips more than 6 times since with several different groups of family and friends. But this trip was rather different as we managed to secure a lodge where 10 of us snuggled in for the 4 nites in Hirafu Village, Near Niseko. Observed the changes that had taken place in the recent years. It is "Australianised" more than Nihonjins now. Simply perhaps many flocked over to experience their everlasting powder snow!
(Can still ski despite the fracture on 26/12/15! Thanks to the Lord for the quick healing! Ortho doc thought no problem to ski so .....there goes.....)
OC Reflections
1. His take on Wars
OC was right in the start of WW1. The perplexities felt by many in his time :"Is war of the devil of of God? It is neither.It is of man, though God and the devil are both behind it. War is a conflict of wills either in individuals or in nations"
"Our Lord insists on the inevitability of peril. Right through His talks with His disciples, without panic and without passion and without fear He says ' You must lay your account with this sort of thing,with war, with spite, with hatred, with jealousy, with despisings, with banishment and with death.Now remember that i have told you with this things that when they happen to you, you may not be scared'
"Jesus Christ did not say : You will understand why the war has come - but :Do not be scared, do not be put in a panic.
"There is one thing worse than war, and that is sin. We get tremendously scared when our social order is broken up, and well we may. We get terrorized by hundreds of men being killed. But we forget there is something worse - sinful dastardly lives being lived day by day, year on year of our villages and towns...these are the things that produced pain in the heart of God, not the wars and the devastation that so upset us"
How true, isn't it? Back 100 years of more back, a man lived through WW1. My late parents lived through WW2. And now many are expecting the WW3 in our generation.
Yes, but it is more than the ME crisis of Syria, Iran , Iraq that we are seeing the atrocities of ISIS terrors. We are seeing the erosion of the very fabric of our family values, the marriage institution, the humanistic human rights of the LGBTs etc.
Won't such things break the heart of God more than anything?
2. His Wars & End times and Intercession
Back during OC time, WW1 had caused many christians to focus on bible prophecy and a preoccupation with end times, Many back then felt that God's judgement had come upon the godless nation of the world.
We are now in the year 2016. Many here too are fascinated with end times! Are we here yet??
Well, OC in his diary of April 1915 , he wrote " To the saints who know the end of things, it is not a time of separate aloneness,but of sanctified abandonment to God for intercession. Let us beware then of excessive brooding on our own personal whiteness, or as special coteries [cliques] regarding the Second Coming . Let us fling ourselves into abandonment on Him and intercession on behalf of the country we belong to that she may prove God's servant as well as God's instrument. Let us pray lest men look merely for peace instead of to and for God"
Is this not what is happening around us today? The Pope and his world tour of promoting "peace" and interfaith of all religions to keep the "peace".
Conclusion
This movie "War Room" was released only in August 2015. A friend bought the DVD for me and I watched it before this Japan trip.
And reading the life story of Oswald, the above reflections struck an accord with me/ More than 100 years had passed on since his death. But one thing has not changed. Prayer. Intercession. The heart beat of God.
The victories of what we may experience today - all fought in a little war room. Unknown by many, but reaches to the throne of His Utmost Highest. He is the Victorious King who reigns on High.
I believe Oswald was that kind of man of prayer. Like many others like late Wigglesworth and David Wilkerson etc. PRAYER IS A POWERFUL WEAPON! Battleplan? You know what it is now.
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