Pray for the Lord to send out workers to the harvestfield of Tokyo.
Across the street from the pedestrians and above the pink cherry blossoms, part of Yasukuni Shrine’s torii-gate is visible. A torii-gate is a common Shinto structure placed at the entrance of a shrine for two purposes: to visually signify to worshippers that they are stepping away from the secular and into the sacred, and to ward off evil spirits (torii-gates are often painted red / vermilion to enhance this supposed ability). Torii-gates have become a symbol of not just Shintoism, but of Japanese culture in general. The torii-gate visible from our virtual prayer walk location today has an interesting history. Originally built in 1921 out of bronze, at 69 feet high it was Japan’s tallest torii-gate. During WW2, the gate was torn down to make weapons. The current 82 feet tall gate (sixth highest torri-gate in Japan) was built in 1974 out of high quality steel that is predicted to last 1,200 years.
1. In John 14:6, Jesus stated that He is the only way to the Father. No one else can enter the realm of the Divine except through Him. Pray for any of the pictured pedestrians who have walked through Yasukuni Shrine’s torii-gate to have / take a clear opportunity to understand and believe the gospel.
2. Building a structure that will last 1,200 years is quite a feat of accomplishment for humanity. However, King Jesus will never cease to be the doorway to eternal life. Related to Christ’s eternal rule, Daniel 7:27 says, “…His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” (NKJV) Pray for a Christian in Tokyo to be encouraged by this fact today.
3. Many world religions have a clear dividing line between the secular and the sacred. The concept of a torii-gate in Shintoism illustrates this idea. Pray for a new Christian who was raised in the Shinto faith but has come to trust Jesus to understand that there is no such dividing line for Christians; the Lord / His Word daily impacts every single area of life.
Romans 8:31
