Between Maps and Meaning

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.
Exodus 33:14

It’s been a while since my last post, and I must apologize. I found myself in Japan over the last few weeks, and although I wrote much down much of what I wrote was for myself. Even if I wanted to post there was no real way to be on my laptop enough. It was an amazing trip that I’m very grateful for. Even now I miss the 7/11s, the convenience of the subways, falling cherry blossoms, and so much more. Even so I can see Japan is dying, perhaps trying to save itself now, but it’s a society like most that is missing something essential.

It’s a disciplined and hardworking culture. Everything about the society is built around work. Every convenience is for the working class person. The timely subways, the vending machines, even the hours restaurants are open. The rat race becomes rather pointless not just for working Japanese but so many people. So many people have no purpose and often we need something to blame. It’s easy to blame a job especially when you can’t afford anything. Struggling to pay bills is a shared struggle between Japanese and Americans. Too many hours, not enough pay, and no purpose outside of chasing money. It’s no wonder in a town near me someone burned down a factory they worked at. See when a society has no purpose chaos is the answer. Instead of seeking a solution people are so fed up they praise chaos. We’re living in jokers world and instead of becoming batman we’re choosing the path of the joker.

American chaos is usually bloody and destructive. Not that Japan can’t be that way, and in it’s history certainly has been. Yet, there is an obvious difference between Japanese chaos and my American chaos. In Japan there’s a growing society of teenage runaways. They sleep on the street, do drugs, drink, and probably find themselves in trafficking situations. The average worker is clocking in at 9am and what seems like the norm won’t let out till after 7pm. Then they need to find a way to rest and reset. They need to find a purpose. For most working class people that means cheap drinks at a bar. That means missing their subway home and sleeping in a pod, on a bench, or subway restroom as they wait for their next shift to start. Then to make things worse most of these working people won’t have kids, and the ones that do well there’s a chance they end up as another runaway. Even so most Japanese might not want to fate their offspring to the world they find themselves in. To make matters worse EVERYONE is addicted to their phones. You can’t walk a block without someone’s face being buried in their screen. Talk about culture shock I thought American people were bad with screen addiction but it’s horrible in Japan. How can we blame them? They have no real purpose, they have no money, and often times are just seeking rest.

Only God can provide rest. Only God can provide security. That is where my mind is from this trip. The castles were beautiful, the nature was amazing, the art, the food, but only God provides true rest. The only purpose that matters is the purpose God gives us. I’m jet lagged, behind at work, and I really don’t want to be even be writing this right now. I surely don’t want to edit this once I’m done. But the rest my flesh craves is temporary. The rest God gives my soul, is forever. I pray we remember God promises to go with us. He assures us of peace, security, and rest from this world. I pray we always remember the purpose God sets out for us. I pray we don’t buy into the chaos instead see our suffering as a tool for God to use. I pray the desire for money leaves our hearts and minds. I pray the anxiousness of poverty leaves our being, and we remember God provides the spiritual currency, and that currency is all we truly need. I pray we remember to love our neighbors, I pray for the country of Japan. That God moves in their land. That they may find purpose, security, love, and rest in the Lord. Amen.

I leave you with a beautiful path in a marvelous garden.