How He Loves Us

This is something that I knew from the first time I came to Japan, but I was once again reminded; reminded of the love God has for this his people here in Japan as well as me. There were so many instances where I couldn’t think anything besides “God loves them” or “God loves me”. Love comes in the form of many ways, shapes, or forms, some more pleasant than others, but it is still “their form” of affection/love.

So what triggered this thought? Well, J-House has made this month of September a month of prayer, and so I decided to take this a bit earnestly and also fast on certain days during dinner or lunchtime. This past week, I fasted and prayed during Saturday night and went off walking in the streets of Osaka for about an hour doing a prayer walk, then ended up somewhere not knowing what direction or what my surroundings even were. I just walked and prayed. I ended up back in Temmabashi (天満橋) and encountered a beautiful, cool (both temperature and looks), and quiet place near the riverside. I just had a good time reading my Bible there and praying for random people and especially things that have been on my mind for a while. Luckily, this time around, I brought my iPod with me and during my prayer time the song “How He Loves” comes on and I am suddenly drowning in God’s abundant love for me. I thought to myself how it has been a while since I have felt this way, but I honestly can feel the same way everyday. God doesn’t just appear whenever he feels like it, but he is always here! Hallelujah!

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:


             "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

During Sunday service also, we were watching a clip from Passion of the Christ, and it was the scene where Jesus was being...well, just watch the video instead.

I felt like God was telling me as I was wincing and turning away, "Kevin, don't look away. I had to watch my son go through this whole thing and I didn't once help him out. This is the love that I have for all of you and the people of Japan. Please, you must let the people around you know of what I have done for them." I didn't know how to respond... I just sat there watching this and thinking to myself... 'Thank you and I am sorry.' This is the kind of God we have. 

Who or what can really separate us from God’s love? Even if we run from it or even unaware of it, God still loves us…this is something that even if we try our best to comprehend, we still won’t understand it. That is how great his love for us is! Let us continue to remember this truth!~ Amen.

I went to Awajishima (淡路島) today with Ryo, Justin, LL, Jonie, and Kyle. Very nice day! Ocean is super blue and clean, but it was super windy. Had a good time just relaxing there during our day off. That is also why this update is kind of late (even though most of you are sleeping right now..) Didn't take too many pictures, but here is before we actually got to the beach.

(somewhere behind there is where we were at)