Miracles and Praise

God is absolutely incredible. I have had probably the most amazing and intense day of my life, seeing God work powerfully in a way I've never seen before.

Recently in my life, God has been teaching me to praise him, with greater intensity and frequency than ever before. Because of this, as I went in to worship this morning, I chose to stand in the back where there would be room to kneel, because sitting and praising just didn't seem right at that time. I wanted to have the freedom to assume whatever posture God was leading me to.

Little did I know all that God was leading me to do.

Shortly into the service, I stood for the reading of the Gospel, which is not a usual thing in Japan. I grew up standing for the Gospel, but never really understanding why. This morning, God gave me the thought that, if an important person comes in the room, people will stand, or bow, in respect. How much more for the very words of our King of kings, Jesus Christ, when His words from the gospels are read aloud!

Partway into the reading of the gospel, a woman whom I've been praying for regularly, who has desired to be baptized in the past but has backed out at the last minute, consumed by fears and doubts, her name is Eiko; during the gospel reading she came into the church, knelt at my feet and begged to receive mercy. There are so many details I can't remember. I touched her cupped hands; I told her to stand but she wouldn't. She said the same thing to some other people nearby. I placed my hand on her shoulder and began to praise and pray the names of God; Jehovah-Rohi, Our Shepherd, Jehovah-M'kaddesh, Our Sanctification, Jehovah-Nissi, our Banner of Victory. I had a book with me with many more names of God, and I prayed and praised through those. Meanwhile, the service continued, even though everyone had obviously become aware of her presence and some commotion in the back corner of the sanctuary, which is the size of a chapel. I felt that the pastor needed to pray over her, that the members needed to fill the church with praise, but none of that was happening. Instead, Cindy came over and told me that one of the church leaders was asking if we would move her into another room. I instictively said no. Several people were talking to her, or praying for her. Though all our voices were in quiet whispers until the service was over, everyone knew something was going on. A demon was cast out from her and attacked someone else for a while, but at the time I didn't know that, I only thought that God was humbling that other person. I continued to pray and praise in the Spirit of God, and I had the distinct impression that Eiko needed to be baptized as soon as possible, and that this struggle wouldn't be over until she could praise God with all her might.

Much of what happened is a blur to me, because I continued to focus on God and to praise, for quite a long while. I know what happened, but I don't remember details. There was an elder's meeting scheduled for that Sunday anyhow, and the church president hurried everyone off to it to start on time. Later, Eiko expressed her desire to be baptized, and she filled out and signed a form of intention that the church has. I don't remember in what order, but I heard that Pastor was calling Eiko's husband, and I heard that the elders didn't want her to be baptized yet. I was determined to praise God any way, and read Psalms of praise with some other Christian women who were there. Little by little, they went home; eventually I, too, was worn out, partly because I was still filled with praise but was discouraged by some church members talking loudly in the next room. I began to sing hymns of praise, only to have one lady come in and facetiously say "what a pretty voice." I rebuked her, insisting that God get all the glory, not people, not voices. Well, she retorted, we have a guest (so please be quiet because you might disturb our non-Christian guest). I paid it no mind and kept singing as God was leading me, to sing and praise, or to read silently and praise. But eventually I was exhausted, and I had no idea where anyone had gone to. I really wanted a quiet place to pray, so I decided to try going upstairs, but was soon interrupted by the voices of people coming out of the meeting. However, this time I was encouraged to hear that she might be able to be baptized after all.

By this time, it was after 4:00pm. I learned that Eiko had gone home to speak with her husband, and that if she came back to the church before 6:00, we would baptize her. So I prayed and praised in the sanctuary a little while longer, and at one point I sensed God telling me "if you trust me, lie down in the pew." So I did. I fell asleep, and when I woke up, Cindy and Lindsey were talking, so I sat up and joined the conversation. Within 10 minutes, Eiko arrived back at the church. She had not obtained her husband's approval as she had hoped, but he hadn't prevented her from coming back. So, we got things ready, and had a small but joyful baptism service. In some aspects it was disorganized (oh, we should sing a hymn. which hymn should we sing? or Oh, we should have communion together-- and then proceed to prepare the communion elements with bangs and clatters while Pastor is in the middle of a prayer! Not to mention that Pastor had been out walking his dog, a corgi, when Eiko arrived and so he didn't have time to take the dog back upstairs before starting), but in other ways it was really spirit led, as the church members scrambled to find a hymn, Eiko named a praise song that was extremely appropriate.

Afterwards, Pastor had somewhere he had to go to, and the other church members left, too. There was leftover curry and rice from lunch, so after we (me and the three VYM teachers) talked with Eiko and told her more places in God's word that would help her, we all sat down to dinner together. Eiko kept saying how thankful and happy she is, and said that she felt it was a miracle that she could come back and be baptized. After talking some more and hearing more praise songs, she got ready and went home, amid lots of hugs and blessings.