Project Ezra - Luke 13

God's ways are so amazing! I'm transformed every time I go out to participate in Project Ezra. Especially on days like today, it is one of the most enjoyable, thrilling things I have ever done. I commented on my facebook page not too long ago that I had completely lost all desire for any form of entertainment because my own life has more than enough adventure and excitement. Participating in Project Ezra is one of the biggest reasons why that is true, and God gets all the credit for getting me out there and making it what it is.

Luke 13 begins with some people telling Jesus about some other people having been massacred by the Romans, and Jesus teaches that those people weren't "more sinful" than anyone else just because they died in a tragic way. Everyone is a sinner, everyone must repent, that is, turn away from their sins, or they will perish. Then he tells the parable about a fig tree that isn't producing fruit. The master is ready to cut it down, but the servant intercedes for the tree, promising to do everything he can to help it produce fruit if the master will give it one more year. Jesus heals a crippled woman, teaches about the kingdom of God, urges the people to enter through the narrow gate, and expresses his sorrow over Jerusalem. My favorite part is the section on entering through the narrow gate; understanding this concept was a turning point in my walk of faith. Christian reader, do you fear and love God enough that you can read this passage and realize that you might be the one Jesus is talking about? In verse 26 and 27: "Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!" Non-Christian reader, be careful not to judge God based on any Christian hypocrites you may know. God is holy, regardless of whether or not those who claim to be his followers live godly lives.

I chose not to read on Sunday this weekend in favor of more Christian fellowship, so I only went out Monday afternoon. Monday afternoon is really proving to be a great time to go "fishing," because when the weather is nice, many kids are out playing in the parks after school lets out. I wanted to get to the parks I didn't go to last week, so I decided to go in reverse of my usual circuit. After prayer, I biked north to Yotsugoya koen, for only my second time to read there. I haven't been there for a while, and I've always gone there alone. It was very difficult to praise there, and as I walked around praising, I walked through a bunch of twigs that somehow felt like a nail poked clear through my plastic sandal, but I looked at the shoe and there wasn't a hole, and when I looked later my foot was fine. I sat and read, but there was a lot of noise, and I struggled to read, too.

Next I rode down to Jido koen. There were lots of kids playing, and some grandmas looking after younger children. As I praise-walked around, I greeted people as I was able. The last thing I want is for people to be creeped out by some weird foreigner circling the park with an odd look on her face. If I could talk to each one of them, I would be really glad. It's getting easier to praise there, and from where I normally sit to read, my voice seems to resound through the park, which has trees all along the edges. Actually, only one half of the park, the part with the playground, is called Jido koen. The section where I read is called "Lions no mori" or Lions' Forest, presumably named after the Lions' club? I read, and people kept their distance, but it was still good.

I was on my way to Shirone Sogo Koen when I paused by another park that I've walked past many times, but for some reason didn't consider for Project Ezra before. I never made it to Sogo, because God had a divine appointment in store for me. There were some young kids, and also some highschool students in the park. There wasn't a lot of room around the perimeter, and for some reason I felt very awkward. So I just found a bench and sat down and started to read. Very soon after, I could hear some of the kids come up behind me, and got a good feeling about it, like they were listening. But before too long they ran off to play again. I was nearly finished reading when they approached me from the front and greeted me. I was really surprised and delighted to see Mariko, a girl who has been on my prayer list for children for a number of years. I first met her in Sunday School at Shirone church. Later, when I took my current job, I was delighted to find her in one of my classes. So she was my student for several months until she decided to quit in favor of other activities. I offered her and her friends the New Testaments I had with me. Mariko said that she had gotten something like it from the church, and told me that whenever her mom gets mad and sends her to her room, she reads her bible and finds relief. She and her three friends were really excited to get the bibles, and I also gave them each a Sunday School memory verse card. I told Mariko that I still pray for her regularly (I have her on my list of all the children I pray for) and she was really glad. She still gets postcards from Shirone church about JoyJoy Sunday, the event for children, and said she was thinking of going to the next one.

We finished talking, and then I went back to reading the few verses I had left in the chapter. As I was leaving the park, her friends thanked me again and again, and I stopped and asked them their names. Although they gave me their full names, the best I could do was memorize their first names, say goodbye, then hurry home to write their names down in my prayer journal before I forgot them. Praise God that I had exactly the number of bibles left that I needed for the girls who were there. They're in fourth grade.

God gives me so much joy through the doors he is opening as I participate in this project. Even though I still face struggles and opposition, He is strengthening me through it in many ways.

Soli Deo Gloria - Glory be to God alone