“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14
I have been blessed to visit Japan on business many times. During one of those visits I was invited to conduct a business seminar for Japan Agriculture, Japan's equivalent of our Department of Agriculture. To my surprise, the Secretary of Agriculture sat in the front row and attended the entire day. During breaks in the seminar (with a lot of help from an excellent translator) he and I got to know each other. It turns out that he and I share a common passion for sports, especially tennis; travel, and food.
At the completion of the seminar he invited me to dinner at one of Japan Agriculture's rice restaurants. Literally everything that was offered on the menu had a rice foundation - rice drinks, rice bread, rice rice, etc. The Secretary explained to me that rice was more than just a food for the Japanese people; it was a way of life, sometimes life itself. He shared with me that rice farming and rice farmers were under appreciated, and that a big part of his job was to advocate for rice farming and rice farmers. He explained that it was a contentious and uphill battle internally and globally. After dinner the Secretary told me to let him know any time I was in Japan so that he and I could get together. I did so on a couple of my other trips to Japan, and we always enjoyed our time together.
On this particular morning I was looking forward to the day because he and I were going to meet again; this time in his office. During my devotional time that morning I got a strong impression that I was supposed to share a Scripture with the Secretary. I asked The Lord which one. He led me to 2 Chronicles 7:14.
I was a bit nervous about the notion of sharing The Bible with the Secretary. I told The Lord that I needed some kind of confirmation. About that time my room service breakfast arrived. I had some worship music playing on my computer; a particular song I like by Chris Tomlin. The Japanese room service server pointed to my computer and said in broken English, "Ah... Chris Tomlin. I like." Since less than 1% of the Japanese population is Christian, and even many English speaking Christians don't know who Chris Tomlin is, that was confirmation enough for me.
So, I did a little digging and pulled up 2 Chronicles 7:14 in Japanese on my laptop to have at the ready for the Secretary. I rode over to the Japan Agriculture building and was escorted to the top floor. Once I got to that floor, I went through several security checks and other security doors and measures and finally made it to the Secretary's executive meeting room.
I had been in Japanese executive meeting rooms before. The arrangement of chairs and appointed seating was the same as I remembered. The guest and his or her entourage arrives first and sits in the center on one side of the room. The executive and his or her entourage arrives second and sits in chairs opposite the guest in Japanese order of organizational hierarchy. The guest's translator sits to his or her right, and the executive's translator sits to his or her left.
The Secretary and I greeted each other cordially when he arrived. We discussed tennis, golf, and table tennis. Japan Agriculture had just sponsored one of Japan's top table tennis players, and he was keen to share about her recent success. At that point he wanted to discuss some more serious matters; in particular the lack of support he was receiving from the Japanese president and their parliament; both falling prey to pressure by factions of the the global community to accept more imported, cheaper rice.
Then he went on to share that the tsunami and the nuclear catastrophe it had created in Fukushima had placed a hard burden on the Japanese land; making large portions of the land sick from radiation. In response, Japan Agriculture tested and inspected every hectare of land in the entire country in order to determine its growability.
We discussed both struggles at some length and at that point it seemed appropriate to share the Scripture God had given to me. I told the Secretary that God had given me a Scripture to share with him that might help. I opened my laptop and passed it to my translator to share with him. Interestingly, he grabbed the laptop and said, "Here. Let me read it." He read the Scripture, and pondered for quite some time. I was afraid he might be upset. Instead, he suddenly said, "Let me get this right. If we as a people of Japan will stop sinning and turn to God, He will heal our land." I said that's exactly right; because it is. By The Spirit of God, he got it! He said that the Scripture I shared with him gave him hope for the literal and spiritual healing of Japan and its land. I was extremely relieved and encouraged by his response.
He and I continued talking and the conversation turned to business processes. He explained that his organization was trying to implement many of the business processes that I taught them, but that they were running into some roadblocks. The thought dawned on me that just like plants won't take root or grow in a healthy manner in toxic soil, processes won't take root or grow in a healthy manner in toxic cultures. I suggested to him that the issue might not be the plant/process; but the soil/culture. As the one literally responsible for the physical soil of Japan and the cultural soil of the Japan Agriculture organization, that notion took root with and in him.
He asked me to re-read the Scripture to him for him to ponder again. Not only did I have the privilege of re-reading the Scripture, but I asked him if I could pray the Scripture over him, Japan Agriculture, and Japan. By the grace of God he enthusiastically encouraged me to pray, and I was blessed to do so. Clearly The Lord's Grace was in our midst that day.
I learned many things from that encounter. First, when God has a work for us to do, He is irresistible. Second, we don't know when or where or with who God will have us in a place to influence someone or someones with His Word. We have to be ready. Third, we can know that God desires to heal our literal and spiritual soil. If you have literal land, a home, a literal workplace, a family, and/or a culture that seems cursed or un-blessed, God wants to, can, and promises to heal it via the following.
Make sure you are one of God's people called by His Name.
Alone or with others of like relationship to God...
Humble yourself (yourselves).
Pray and seek God's face; His Presence.
Confess and turn from whatever wicked ways you may be walking and/or thinking in.
Embrace His Promises to hear you from Heaven, to forgive your sins, and to heal your land, home, business, school, family, heart, etc.
PRAYER
Abba Father. Thank You for Your desire and promise to heal my land, my family, my business, my home, my school, their cultures and my heart. I come before you in absolute humility knowing that it is only by Your mercy, grace, and the Blood of Jesus that I can approach You. I come to You and seek Your Face and Your Presence through The Name of Jesus. I confess that I have sinned before you. (Ask The Holy Spirit to reveal any wickedness of thought or deed that needs to be confessed and repented.) I confess as sin the wickedness you have revealed to me. Forgive me Lord of it. I renounce it and repent of it. Please deliver me from its consequences. Thank You that You hear me. You forgive me. And You heal my land, my business, my home, my family, their cultures and my heart.
