Encountering God: Japan

Japan has many cities bustling with noise. Trains, cars, lights, people going to and fro all create a bustling noise within the cities. But Japan is also known for its ancient temples and zen gardens. These peaceful places create a space for meditation and reflection. We as Christians also need to learn the art of meditation and the value reflection brings to our life. However, are not meditating to attain a higher spiritual level or state of enlightenment. The BIble speaks of meditating and it is always in the context of prayer and Scripture.

Psalm 1 declares that one who meditates on the laws of God is blessed. Those who reflect and really let the word of God seek in are more ready to use God’s word and the wisdom it gives in life. There is also the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19 when God speaks to him. There was great wind, an earthquake, and even fire. Elijah might have expected God to speak from one of these mighty acts of creation and destruction but yet, he did not. Many translations say that God spoke out of a whisper. The Hebrew language suggests that there was “void of sound” with this whisper, meaning God spoke in the silence. A peaceful garden, a flowing riverside, all places where we can sit in silence and encounter God’s peace in a new way. 

Japan offers lots of places to stay busy but it also shows us that there is value in peace and quiet. If we are struggling to hear God in our life, maybe we are too noisy or we are filling our life with too much noise. We need to stop and reflect. Meditate on God’s word and let it speak to us. Sometimes God speaks loudly to us but sometimes we need silence to really hear.