Regarding Japan, Christians talk a lot about dry soil, hardened hearts, a slow harvest, barriers to the gospel. Satan has had a centuries long hold on this place, slowly building a massive web of lies and deceit entangling the island. As unconcerned and tuned out as the Japanese might seem to spiritual things, the battle for their souls is incredibly real. Fierce, desperate spiritual warfare goes on around us constantly, usually without our slightest awareness.
I consider myself a pretty sensitive and observant individual. I notice things. But lately I've been realizing how little I notice the spiritual aspect of this place. I acknowledge the reality of the hold Satan has here, but seldom do I actually feel the tangible nature of the evilness that surrounds me.
Monday I experienced some of it and it was a sad, scary thing.
On our day with the Lord, I felt called to go to Meiji Shrine at Harajuku to pray over it. Built in the 1910's to honor the deified Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shouken, it is one of the most popular shrines in Japan. In the first few days of the new year it sees millions of visitors come through.
A massive Shinto gate marks the entrance to the shrine grounds. As I approached, I was reminded of verses declaring the Lord's worthiness and that one day all creation would acknowledge him as God. I pictured the huge solid beams of wood before me snapped in two, literally bowing down before the one true God. I prayed that image would become reality soon, that God would claim for himself the worship currently being given to false idols.
Walking under the gate I immediately felt weighed down. I don't know how to describe the air around me, but it made me sad and heavy. As I looked up at the beautiful avenue of trees creating a canopy over my head I was drawn to worship their Creator. But I also mourned because I felt sure I was the only one in that place with my thoughts directed towards Him. Surrounded by the beauty made by the Living God, the crowds of people walking with me were living in emptiness.
Once to the main shrine grounds, I took a seat on a bench, praying the Lord would open my eyes to see what he saw.
As I sat, I felt the weight on my heart grow heavier, and tears brimmed over the more I took in what was going on around me. Watching old couples climb the stairs to the shrine, bow, clap, and pray in unison broke me. I cried out for them, that they might hear the truth and be given real hope in Christ. Every clap that echoed in my ears made me cringe. I'd witnessed this many times before, but this time the empty ritual of these poor souls brought something darker to my mind. I pictured Satan standing over them, laughing gleefully, delighting in their misguided and worthless worship. As I thought of how God absolutely delights in the praise and worship of his children, it made me physically ill to think of Satan having such delight in seeing these people worshipping lies.
Another site caught my eye and cut me even deeper. A priest clad in pure white robes walked briskly across the courtyard to perform some ceremonial duty. Immediately Isaiah 1:18 came to mind- "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." White as the priest's garments. But I knew he was not white as snow on the inside. Though Christ has died for this man's sins and risen victorious so this priest might be redeemed before God, he does not know. He is living in a lie, a false sense of security regarding the destination of his soul. His white Shinto robes were a painful reminder of the reality of his sin-blackened soul.
The final straw in my pain was when another priest struck the shrine gong, marking some significant moment in the day. As tourists rushed over to snap a picture, I was paralyzed in my seat. Every strike of the gong sent a shiver through me. I can't describe it any other way except to say it was a very dark and oppressive sound. It was as if Satan were triumphantly declaring his hold over the place, a sound completely opposed to truth and hope and light.
Leaving my bench and walking out of the Meiji grounds, I was surprised at how physically drained I felt. I was almost to the point of shaking and even felt short of breath. This was the most spiritual experience I have had while visiting a shrine or temple here in Japan. As an art history student I usually can just view these places as architecturally impressive, not as places of idol worship backed by Satan. But this time was very different.
This time God revealed more spiritual reality to me. Satan is very real, his demons are very real, the struggle for souls is very real. I don't think I can say I am thankful for the darkness I observed on Monday. It made me really sad and I felt overwhelmed, paralyzed, even hopeless. Those are all scary things to feel.
Even as I write this I don't know if I've recovered from this experience. I don't know if I ever really will. But I'm praying the Lord would take this experience and fully redeem it to his purposes. As much evil as might exist in Japan, the ultimate reality is that Christ is risen and victorious over sin and death. Satan's time is short and he knows it. In the end, God will receive the glory of all nations, tribes, and tongues as it was always meant to be. Until that glorious day, I pray he would continue to sanctify me through experiences like these so I might better understand and live out his great love for the lost.
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