A Prayer for Mari

Yesterday was "Girl's Day" in Japan.  A national holiday that brings everyone's consolidated attention to praying for the health, happiness & character development of girls.  I did some research on the holiday so we could honor Mari, our exchange student.  I wanted her to feel special and have something to share about her culture, with us.  We get the privilege of sharing our culture with her every day....but this was a chance for her to enlighten us on something from Japan!  

I decided to take her out of school a little early and go to the Japanese Garden in downtown Portland.  They were having a special exhibit on display, of dolls, in honor of "Girls Day".   She was delighted to go!  We had a wonderful time there.  She explained to me that the exhibit was very impressive.  Usually all Japanese families have a small set of these special dolls to set out every year in honor of the holiday.  The ones they had on display were a large collection in a very elaborate setting.  She was thrilled to see them!   After we took some pictures of the display, we wandered through the garden a little - enjoying the sunny afternoon the Lord gave us for exploring.  I began to feel an incredible burden for this sweet girl, I barely knew, from Japan.  She comes from a culture of polytheists (people who believe in and pray to many gods).  How in the world is she going to find Christ in the small amount of time that she is here, in America?  The language barrier alone is a tough hurdle to overcome...let alone the fact that she has 16 years of polytheism to combat with.   

And then the Lord whispered this to me...."don't you know I have a plan?  I always do.  I AM the One who will bring her around when the time, MY TIME, is right.  I AM the One who brought the Israelites out of impossible circumstances into freedom....I AM the One who delivered My people time & time again over the course of history....I AM the One who sent My Son into the world to make the ultimate sacrifice and secure redemption for all....I AM the One who rescued you.....I AM working everything out in My  master plan, so you can rest in the promise that I AM doing this just as I always have.  You need to pray for her and do everything you can to point her to who I AM." 

I responded in my heart with, "That's it, Lord!  She needs to know You.....the one true God.......I AM!!!  You can rescue her out of the grip of polytheism - ONLY You can!  Oh, please do it Lord!  Do it soon!  I want freedom for Mari.  I want her to know the incredible mercy and grace that are hers for the taking.  Give me and my family the words, the deeds, the presence of mind to seize every opportunity.  Let us be Your instruments to tune her heartstrings into You.  Use us, Lord!"

It is incredible to me to ponder the idea that I have a relationship with the God of the universe...and He cares about me and Mari.  Words cannot express how 'at- peace' I was as we drove home from our fun outing together.  But, I definitely have a new burden in my heart for Mari.  I want to be confident that we do everything we can while we have her with us to point her to the Savior of the world.  She may not make a decision for Christ while she is with us, but at least we will plant as many seeds as God provides opportunities for.  We will trust Him to do the rest!