Reading the Bible; March 16, 2024

Posted on March 17, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 8:8 “‘How can you say, “We are wise, for we have the law of the Lord,” when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?’

The passage as a whole is describing a refusal to repent, but this verse is a bombshell. Jeremiah is saying outright that some of the scribes, who were responsible for hand-copying the Torah, deliberately changed things to fit their own ideas. We have no idea how many generations of such copying had already occurred by this time, but the very idea is scary. They had no other method of transmission, so the job of Scribe was a very important one. It seems unthinkable that some of those scribes would deliberately change the words of the Law of God, but that is what Jeremiah is accusing them of. Actually, that sort of thing happens today, and probably with much greater frequency. We aren’t limited to hand-copying the Bible, but we read it in translation, and that gives many opportunities for error. Different languages have different strengths, and sometimes there is no direct equivalent for something in the original, but an honest translator will concede that and probably give footnotes about it. When it gets bad is in deliberate distortions of the text to fit a particular viewpoint, such as the New World translation used by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, that tries to hide the deity of Jesus, and a translation that came out a few years ago that changed all the pronouns to make God female. Those who do such things have no real fear of God, and no real grasp of the fact that they are handling His Word. When we read the Bible in any translation, or even in the Hebrew or Greek, we need to seek the help of Holy Spirit to straighten out our understanding. After all, He is the Author! Reading multiple translations is often very helpful, but we don’t always have that luxury, because of time or other factors. However, Holy Spirit is always available, if we don’t quench Him or grieve Him. Human factors are present in any Bible we read, but God is able to protect His Word, if we treat it as that and not just as literature or philosophy.

As I have written before, I am probably as aware of the difficulties of Bible translation as anyone. I don’t know either Hebrew or Greek, but I’m bilingual in English and Japanese, which are two totally unrelated languages. Going between the two is sometimes a real challenge! My father taught both Hebrew and Greek to Japanese seminary students, in Japanese, and I never felt I could approach his level of linguistic prowess. That, however, was not the issue. The point was and is to transmit what God has said, without distortion. I currently preach in both languages, alternating between Japanese and English as I speak. Sometimes I forget what I’ve said in Japanese and fail to say it in English! (My wife generally calls me to account for that.) Often, an idea is expressed very simply in one language but requires a lot more explanation in the other. That’s why going between languages verbally is called interpreting, whereas in written form it is called translation. I have interpreted for numerous speakers over the years, even including a member of the Japanese imperial family, and frankly, interpreting for myself is easiest, because I always know what I mean! That’s why I seek the guidance of the Author when I read the Bible, whichever language I’m using. As I transmit God’s words in various ways to others I must always be careful to let it be His Word, and not interject my own ideas. He alone is worthy of total acceptance.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for causing me to be bilingual, so that I understand this issue. Help me be a faithful “scribe,” a transmitter of Your Word, so that more and more people may know Your truth and be set free, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Consequences of Sin; March 15, 2024

Posted on March 16, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 5:12 They have lied about the Lord;
they said, “He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;
we will never see sword or famine.”

It is a very dangerous thing to deny that God judges His people. We like to pretend that sin has no consequences, when nothing could be further from the truth. Immediately after the 9/11 attack churches saw a sudden increase in attendance, but that didn’t last long. Every time there is a hurricane or a wildfire, people are quick to deny that it could be in any way divine retribution for the sins of society. Rather than confessing moral issues, we twist science into a pretzel and blame it all on “climate change,” and in the process deny God more and more. Human hubris seems to know no limits! That’s not to say that relatively innocent people don’t also suffer for the sins of society, but it is to say that society is made up of individuals, and it is individuals who sin. We tend to think that our individual sins won’t affect society as a whole, but that is simply not the case. Repentance, likewise, is an individual matter. That’s why when Emperor Constan­tine declared the Roman empire to be Christian, persecution dropped off but very little else changed, and as a result the Church itself was corrupted. We bemoan the sins of society, and indeed, we should be vigorous in combatting various societal ills, but it all comes back to the actions and attitudes of individuals, and that includes us. When Nehemiah and Daniel recognized their respective situations, they repented on behalf of society, but they included themselves in that. We need to remember that it’s not just someone else’s fault. We serve a holy God, and we must never forget that.

Ouch! I have lived what many people watching me have considered a “holy” life, but I have ignored God and even directly disobeyed Him more times than I could even calculate. I too am totally dependent on His grace. As I pray about situations I cannot do so from some sort of high horse, but must acknowledge my own weakness. That’s not to say I’m not to be bold in the Lord, knowing that my sins are dealt with by the blood of Christ, but it is to say that I’m not to put myself mentally into some special category, immune from temptation and the consequences of sin. When bad things happen, my first response is to ask the Lord what part I had in triggering them, and my second response is to ask what He wants to do in me through them. Jesus told us explicitly that bad things would happen, (John 16:33) but if I will operate in humility and obedience, He will bring good things out of the bad. (Romans 8:28) I just need to strive to live so that I won’t be the target of those bad things, but rather no more than “collateral damage.”

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed live in full humility and obedience, acting as Your agent to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and bring Your rule and reign, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Prophets and Prophecy; March 14, 2024

Posted on March 15, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 3:22 “Return, faithless people;
I will cure you of backsliding.”
“Yes, we will come to you,
for you are the Lord our God.

The calling of a Prophet is not an easy one. Those who have only been peripherally involved in prophecy might think it is very glamorous and desirable. Imagine, speaking the very words of God! However, such people forget that God’s words are often not well received. In addition, prophets often get a glimpse of the broken heart of God, and the emotional wear and tear can be severe. Sometimes, as the saying goes, “Ignorance is bliss.” Mankind so often behaves so badly toward God, feeling what God feels about it can be devastating. Jeremiah is certainly a case in point. There is excellent reason for calling him “the weeping prophet.” However, sometimes the message of the prophet is received, and that can make it all worthwhile. That seems to be the case here. The first half of the verse is quoting God, and the second half is the response. This is a textbook example of repentance. If only we always responded to God’s correction this way! At the same time, the historical record shows that this wasn’t the response of the whole nation, and things progressed to the point of conquest by Babylon and the destruction of Jerusalem. And for all his trouble, Jeremiah was eventually stoned to death in Egypt! That said, there is no question he was well received before the Throne in heaven. New Testament prophecy isn’t so much a matter of “Thus sayeth the Lord” as it is simply speaking out what God is speaking into the heart of the prophet. That’s why Paul could say, “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1) However, that’s not the same as the office of Prophet, (Ephesians 4:11) which carries a great deal of responsibility. Those who have been given the gift, either as the office or more generally, need to be careful first of all to be personally obedient to what the Lord says through them, and then to pray for their hearers, that their response would be as in this verse, rather than rejecting or ignoring what the Lord is saying.

I have been used in prophecy, but at the same time I am grateful not to have been placed in that office. Last month was the first time I have spoken, “The Lord says,” in quite a few years. However, I desire that every time I get in the pulpit, particularly, I would speak only and exactly what the Lord is saying. I also desire to be available to Him in every conversation, and sometimes He indeed speaks through me in such situations. I don’t think I’d blame my puns on Him, though! I have the huge advantage over Jeremiah that I have a personal relationship with the Messiah, so I know the mechanism by which God accomplishes His salvation. That gives me hope, even when the words I speak aren’t received as I would desire. Again, my focus is on being personally faithful, and leaving everything else in God’s hands.

Father, thank You for prophecy, whoever is the channel at any given moment. May I be faithful in every role You have for me, listening to You first myself and not deceiving myself (James 1:22), so that Your will may be done in and through me as You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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End-Times Prophecy; March 13, 2024

Posted on March 14, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 3:18 “In those days the house of Judah will join the house of Israel, and together they will come from a northern land to the land I gave your forefathers as an inheritance.”

This is a magnificent prophecy that has been fulfilled twice, actually, once in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah and again just 75 years ago. It’s not at all that prophecy isn’t real, or that we aren’t to pay attention to it, but rather that human interpretation of prophecy is very likely to be off in various ways. We are living in days that seem like the fulfillment of prophecy, from Ezekiel, Daniel and the Revelation to John, and I think the anticipation of Christ’s return is building to a degree perhaps not seen since the 1st Century. That’s very exciting and encouraging, but at the same time, our primary focus needs to be on what God wants us to do right now. The conviction that “God’s going to make everything right” is something we all need, but we aren’t to sit around just waiting for that to happen. After all, we are among the things He will need to make right!


I’m not sure at what point I started having the strong feeling that I would still be on the earth at the point of Christ’s return, but it was a long time back. While we were in seminary my wife had a dream that she told me about that I’ve never forgotten. We were in a church building, but the roof was gone and people were flying up into the sky, as many have pictured “the Rapture” to be. In the dream, my wife turned to me and said, “Aren’t you going to go?” I replied, “I still have work to do.” I have no idea what that means, but I do know that simplistic interpretations are seldom right – or at least, are not complete. My current focus, particularly since I have just retired from school teaching, is to know and do what God has for me right now. The idea of Christ’s return during my physical lifetime is a very interesting one, since I am currently 75, and I don’t expect to rival Methuselah in any case. I certainly see much in the world that needs to be made right, and God has assured me personally that there is much that He isn’t happy about, but I’m not to try to dictate to Him when and how He goes about making it right. I am to seek to look at each person around me as He does and interact with them accordingly. I am to recognize my own insignificance, and at the same time rejoice that God can and does use even one such as I am for His purposes. I am to be so grounded in the eternal that I am fully faithful with everything in the temporal, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for getting me through the day safely yesterday, with all the driving. Thank You for the service station attendant noticing that my tires were low, and filling them. Thank You for Your plans for today, and that I’m included in them. May I indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, doing Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Practical Repentance; March 12, 2024

Posted on March 13, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 59:20 “The Redeemer will come to those in Zion,
to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,”
declares the Lord.

The promise of a Redeemer is to those who will turn from their rebellion against God. The Gospel is magnificent and salvation is free, but it is not unconditional. We hear all sorts of distortions of the Gospel, from legalism to licentiousness, but the Bible is actually very clear. If repentance and faith are there, then the details essentially don’t matter. The devil does all he can to keep such a magnificent Gospel from getting out, but he is no match for Holy Spirit. However, we’ve got to be on our watch against the lies of the devil, because he’s smarter than we are. That’s why we’ve got to stay submitted to God and rely on Holy Spirit to guide us. As the saying goes, the devil is in the details. We get caught up in all sorts of little, inconsequential things and so lose sight of the Lord who loved us so much as to die for us, causing us to ignore Him and even directly disobey Him. That’s no way to walk in His redemption! That’s why repentance is an ongoing thing. We repent, believe, and are saved, (Mark 1:15, Ephesians 2:8-9) but we are under constant assault, and trip up all too easily. It’s not that we lose our eternal salvation, but we lose the peace and joy our Lord intends for us. That is handing the devil an unearned victory, and we aren’t to do it.

I’m discovering I am in an unexpected battle with this. Very different demands are coming at me from different directions, disturbing my soul. None of them are major and none of them are bad, but their cumulative effect attacks my peace. I’m still in training for what the Lord told me years ago now: rest, relax, rejoice. Nothing can happen to me that puts God in a bind, and He loves me and wants the very best for me. The devil wants me irritable and anxious, so I know that God wants me gracious and peaceful. Ultimately, it’s my choice. If I choose to focus on the irritations, I am rejecting God’s goodness toward me, and that is certainly not something I want to do. Major sins are easy to spot, but I’ve got to be careful of the little things as well. I never quote Song of Solomon, but I’m reminded of a line from there: “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.” (Song of Solomon 2:15) I am not to “major on minors,” but rejoice that Jesus is Lord of all.

Father, thank You for this reminder. My schedule certainly seems to have gotten complicated since I “retired!” I do ask Your guidance and protection as I drive to Fukuoka today, and I ask Your peace for Cathy as I do so alone. I release the schedule into Your hands, knowing that You always provide the time necessary to do everything You want me to do. May my interaction with everyone today, starting with Cathy, be as You intend, for blessing and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Defining Repentance; March 11, 2024

Posted on March 12, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the evil man his thoughts.

This whole chapter is incredibly rich, to the point that it could be described as a distillation of the essence of the whole Bible. I quote it often! However, the theme of our readings at this point is Repentance, and these two verses define repentance beautifully. It starts with felt need, described here as seeking the Lord. You aren’t going to seek something you don’t need or want. A major problem today is that too many people are satisfied with their lives. They limit their wants and felt needs to material, sensual things, and shut God out of their awareness. How tragic! That is perhaps the biggest reason God allows trials in our lives. He isn’t sadistic, or even mean, but He wants us to recognize that we need more than what we can touch or see or feel. Once the need is recognized, God is always available to answer. Describing Him as “near” is a spiritual thing rather than anything physical, because God is everywhere all the time, but our interaction with Him varies greatly. Then we get down to the brass tacks of repentance: turning from evil to God. I like that this specifies not only actions but thoughts. A mistake made without thinking may be wrong, but it isn’t evil. That’s why there are different legal levels of homicide. The big battleground is in our minds, and that is where the devil is making a full-on assault. The biggest hindrance to repentance is pride, because we don’t like to admit we were wrong. Many of the interchanges playing out on media today would be totally laughable if they weren’t so tragic. The devil is of course a liar, (John 8:44) but all too often we cooperate with him and manage to deceive ourselves! (James 1:22) We need to let the Holy Spirit shine His light not only on our wrong actions but also on our wrong thoughts, so that we may truly repent. If we will do that, God will indeed “abundantly pardon,” as it says here.

I have certainly experienced the battle in my mind! When I look back over the thought patterns I have entertained, I am overwhelmed with God’s grace that He didn’t squash me on the spot! As a pastor, I have the responsibility and privilege of speaking God’s truth to people so that their eyes may be opened to reality and they be set free to walk in all that God has planned for them. (John 8:32) To do that, I’ve got to be careful to walk in the truth myself, avoiding self-deception in all its forms. Frankly, I can’t do that in my own strength, as I have demonstrated countless times. That’s why I’ve got to walk in step with Holy Spirit, (Galatians 5:25) fully submitted to Him so that I can indeed resist the devil to the point that he flees. (James 4:7) I cannot rescue people by lecturing to them, but I can come alongside them, and God can use even my words to give them light.

Father, thank You for Your overwhelming grace. Thank You for what You did in the service yesterday, defining clearly the differences between teaching, counseling, and coaching, and that I had immediate response from someone who wants coaching. I pray that I would be Your instrument to him, and to everyone I encounter, so that the works of the devil may be destroyed and people set free, (1 John 3:8) for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Missions; March 10, 2024

Posted on March 11, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 45:22 “Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth,
for I am God, and there is no other.”

I have had people put down the whole idea of missions to me, saying, “They have their religions. Why push yours on them?” Such people obviously have no real faith of their own. Isaiah is the most “missionary” of the books of the Old Testament, though there are many references to God’s universal love scattered throughout. However, Isaiah repeatedly points out not only that all other gods besides Yahweh are lies, he extends God’s invitation to salvation to everyone, including those who have been deceived by those lying gods. If we don’t want other people to know the God of the Bible, either we don’t love them, or we don’t really know God ourselves. Both of those factors are sadly evident in the world around us. Far too many people are so self-centered that if they think they and their immediate loves ones are safe, they don’t really care about anyone else. That is sad indeed, but it is all too human. The remedy for that lies in seeing people as God does, but far too many people don’t really know Him, regardless of how much knowledge they might claim about Him. I have known of “theologians” whom I strongly doubt I will see in heaven! The better we know the One who sent His Son to die for all mankind, the more we will desire that the purpose of that sacrifice be fulfilled, and that people from every ethnic, social, and racial group, from every spot on the globe, would know Him too, and commit themselves to Him in repentance and faith.

I doubt I will forget one time I was speaking to a group of native English teachers in Nagasaki City about the Christian history of this prefecture, and afterward one of them came up to me with exactly the objection I have mentioned, saying that Japanese already have Shinto and Buddhism. My reply was very simply, “When I know such a wonderful salvation myself, how can I keep from wanting to share it with others?” It takes courage to tell people they are headed for hell apart from Christ, but if you saw people rushing toward a pit of poisonous snakes, wouldn’t you try to stop them? That is a very close analogy to the whole matter of evangelism and missions. I was raised as the son of missionaries and the grandson of a Missions professor, so the obligation and privilege of sharing Christ cross-culturally has always been strong in my awareness. At the same time, I shared Christ with a total stranger for the first time only when I had been baptized in the Holy Spirit. When I see genuine Christians who are lukewarm toward the idea of evangelism and missions, I pray the fire of the Holy Spirit for them! Not everyone is gifted as an Evangelist – I’m not – but all have the privilege of sharing their own experience of Christ. Not everyone is sent to some far-off location, but everyone encounters people daily who have no knowledge of God.

Well, I’ve just been given the message for a week from today! Thank You, Father. May I be faithful and effective in sharing Christ with all, in word and in action, so that many indeed may repent and believe for their salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Listening to God; March 9, 2024

Posted on March 10, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 30:15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.”

This story has been repeated countless times throughout history, both on the national level and on the personal level. Taking our eyes off of God, we feel compelled to DO something, when God is telling us to be quiet and trust Him. It’s not at all that we are to be passive, but rather that we are to be active in our obedience. If God says act, then act. If God says wait, then wait. I think it comes down to our desire to be in control. In extreme forms that’s called megalomania, and produces despots of all sorts, but we are all tempted in that direction at times. The thing is, that is relying on human strength, when compared to the Creator of the universe, that is by definition insignificant. Many believers down through the ages have realized this, and that’s where the expression, “Let go and let God,” comes from. Again, this is not saying that we are to be passive. God in His grace and wisdom has included us in His plans, (Ephesians 2:10) but our job is to seek Him and recognize His plans and actively participate, not to cook up our own plans and ignore Him.

I remember once delivering exactly this verse to a missionary prophetically. I was hesitant to do so, because I didn’t feel the last line applied to him, but I did feel strongly the Lord was saying the part in quotes directly to him. I had no idea of the issue he was facing, but I knew that God wanted him to know that He had it under control, and all the missionary needed to do was trust God. I have experienced the same sort of thing many times myself. I too tend to look at situations and think I personally have to come up with the solution to them. Often the Lord has already provided the solution, and I just have to recognize it, but sometimes the solution hasn’t yet appeared, and I have to wait for it. That can get hard! I speak frequently of how God is outside of time, so everything is now to Him, but not being that way myself, my emotions often don’t line up. It has been commented by some that I have a gift of faith, for which I’m grateful, but I’ve still got plenty of room to grow! My focus has got to be on listening obediently to my Lord, doing what He says and only what He says, so that His plans may be realized on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the gift of the tiller that I received yesterday. I’ve borrowed it several times and have offered to buy it, but it was an outright gift, and I’m grateful. The timing was perfect! Help me use it when and as You intend, to bring the harvest that You desire. That garden tiller is certainly an analogy for all that You provide! Help me use it all in full obedience to You, so that Your name may be acknowledged as holy and Your rule and reign be established as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Fruit of Repentance; March 8, 2024

Posted on March 9, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 19:24-25 In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.”

Looking at the current state of international politics, this prophecy seems like a total fantasy. However, nothing is impossible for God! Reading the whole chapter, it becomes clear that this is the result of repentance. People and nations tend to shy away from repentance for a number of reasons, but the results of repentance are always good. Repentance requires three things: knowing that you have been wrong, knowing that God is right, and being genuinely sorry. That is an incredibly blessed state of affairs! The Bible, and indeed, the world around us, is full of people who rejoice to be dedicated to the Lord because they were so against Him before, and they are overwhelmed by His grace toward them. That is the fruit of repentance! In the New Testament, Paul is probably exhibit one, going from being a violent persecutor of the Church to being its foremost evangelist. A major problem today is that too many “Christians” have never really fulfilled the three parts of repentance, and so are strictly nominal. They claim to be Christian and even attend church from time to time, but never having confronted their own need for salvation, they have no personal relationship with Jesus as Lord. We need to remember that Jesus said, “Repent and believe the good news,” (Mark 1:15) not, “Come and join the church.” We can’t expect God’s miraculous grace if we refuse to repent.

This applies to me in two directions. As I have been writing, I must keep my own repentance up-to-date, and as a pastor, I’ve also got to make the necessity of repentance clear to those to whom I minister. Sadly, in the past I have baptized some people without confirming their repentance, and they quickly faded away. I personally find it strange that people can say all the right things without really having a change of heart. Many people not unreasonably make a big deal of baptism, but repentance is clearly primary, as the story of the thief on the cross beside Jesus illustrates. (Luke 23:39-43) I am not to seek numbers ahead of repentance. I am in no way to be ashamed of the call to repentance, since it is the way to salvation and the fruit is so incredibly rich.

Father, thank You for this reminder. With my changing schedule, I have more time for in-depth personal conversations with people. I ask for wisdom and anointing as I get out of my comfort zone and present the Gospel personally, so that more and more people may indeed repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Change; March 7, 2024

Posted on March 8, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears
will reap with songs of joy.
He who goes out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with him.

This is a justly famous passage, beautifully set to music, and it has meaning on a number of different levels. It got into this list of Scriptures on repentance because genuine repentance often involves tears. However, the fruit of repentance is peace and joy. There are many things we approach with dread, but there are blessings on the other side which we don’t yet see. The ultimate example of that is death. For the person apart from God, there is every reason to be terrified of it, but for the person who has committed themselves to Jesus Christ as Lord by faith, there really should be joyful anticipation. And of course, there are many things shy of death that produce much the same reaction. We tend to fear change, all the more so as we age. Habits become comfortable, and we desire for things to remain as they are, regardless of whether they are actually optimal. The thing is, nothing living is genuinely static. Jesus used the picture of a seed “dying,” being “buried” in the ground, before it could fulfill its true purpose, referring actually to Himself. (John 12:24) We are never meant to be unchanging; only God is unchanging. (Malachi 3:6) It is important to remember that God accepts us as we are, but He never leaves us as we are. He is constantly drawing us “onward and upward,” to use C. S. Lewis’ phrase in The Last Battle. That often involves repentance, as we recognize things in us that need to change, and it always involves growth, spiritually and emotionally. Those who refuse to grow are pathetic indeed.

This is very much in focus for me, because yesterday I fulfilled my last responsibility to The Koyo Schools and am officially retired from school teaching. To say that it’s easy would be an outright lie, but it is certainly an opportunity for growth. I am definitely understanding what a blessing it was for my father never to have to retire, going directly from anesthesia to heaven at 64. At the same time, I can see many possibilities for what God might have for me in the time from now to my own graduation, however long that might be. In past years this time of year has always been a more relaxed schedule, since the Japanese school year ends in March and starts up again in April, but it certainly feels different! I have never been one to set up a schedule apart from outside calls on my time, but that is precisely what I need to start doing now. I am all too familiar with the frustration that builds up when I’m wasting time, and I don’t want to fall into that trap. At the same time, I’m not to reject relaxation and rest the Lord wants to give me. There are plenty of things I could do that would be beneficial, and I need to let the Lord guide me in prioritizing and scheduling them, particularly if they are things I don’t particularly want to do! And He just reminded me that He got me started on my autobiography. Getting that completed will certainly require scheduling! I need to have joyful anticipation of all the Lord has for me to do in the days and years ahead, whatever that is.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for reminding me on Monday that Your power is far greater than my weaknesses. Help me walk in joyful anticipation of and participation in what You want to do through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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