2. FOR GOD’S PLEASURE, I
WAS CREATED
“Thou art worthy, O Lord,
to receive glory and honour, and power: for thou hast
created all things, and for thy pleasure they are
and were created.” Rev 4:11
On Valentines Day, many people’s hearts
are full of lovely thoughts about the person they love the most. But on that
very day in 1955, precious sweetheart Yoneko, a
17-year-old high school senior, stepped out onto the railroad tracks in front
of an oncoming train to end her sad and lonely
life.
In 1937, when Yoneko was born into a well-to-do
Japanese family in Tokyo, she already had an older brother and sister. Her
family worshipped idols and did not know Christ. But her mother was most
gentle and kind; easily and naturally resulting in Yoneko making her mother her first
love, and the one “thing” that Yoneko
lived for.
But when Yoneko was in high school, her mother died of some
sickness. That precious teenage girl was devastated. Her First
Love, her “Life”, had suddenly vanished. I know from personal
experience that it is a great grief for a child (during childhood) to suddenly
lose a parent in death. That is one reason it is necessary for
each child to be taught our Creator’s first
and great commandment. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:37)
My Young Friend, your Creator God is Eternal,
meaning He has no beginning and no end. He has
always existed and always will exist.
The reason you exist is because the One Eternal God created you
for His Pleasure. That is one of the very first things you
need to learn in life, because life is essentially meaningless
for people void of that knowledge.
Believe on God the Father! Fully Trust in Jesus Christ! Love your
Creator First and Foremost. Then, when a beloved family member dies, the God of all comfort will
make His Grace sufficient for your grief. He graciously
did that for my poor Christian family way back in 1954, when my
Mother died young.
But, because Yoneko knew not her Creator God and His comfort, in her deep
misery and sorrow she stepped in front of a train to take her own life. God
ordained that she survive that suicide attempt, but those large iron wheels cut
off both of her legs just above the knees, her left arm above the elbow, and
the last 2 fingers on her right hand.
As she was recovering in the hospital in deeper despair than
ever, 3 or 4 Christian students from her high school came to visit her.
In her bitterness, at first she was rude to them. But they continued to come to
show her Christ’s Compassion, and won her to the Lord. She
married one of those Christian guys. God blessed them with 2 daughters. And for
the rest of her life, Yoneko went thru out Japan and
even to the U.S. telling everyone how wonderful
Jesus is.
You talk about living happily ever after, that
is exactly what Yoneko did after
Jesus found her!
From 1975 to 1977, I met Yoneko in
person 2 or 3 times in Karuizawa, Japan, when she
spoke in the Union Church there. Soon after Yoneko
started speaking, most all of us were weeping as she spoke so
victoriously of life in Christ.
Yoneko is now in Heaven.
You Christian parents and all you adults who teach children about God; from the start, teach them to trust in their Creator, and to love Him First and Foremost. That is the only sure Anchor for a young soul (or any soul) when death takes away the people they love the most.
Sweet Precious Lord
Jesus, You are always closer to me than anyone
else. You are nearer and dearer to me than anyone in my family. When
Daddy is away, You are still with me. When Mother is
in the next room or out in the yard, or gone to town, You
are still right close beside me. You fill my heart with love, joy, and peace,
no matter what happens to me. Everything with always be just
fine, as long as I cleave to Thee, Precious Lord Jesus. So
that is what I always want to do. So please draw me ever so close to Thee, and by Thy Almighty Power, hold me up from falling and
always be ever so close to me, I plead.
Please lead Missionary
Richard to the Japanese around him who are as sad as Yoneko
was that awful night when she stepped in front of that train to end her life.
Please give him the exact words to speak to each hurting
soul, that will deeply touch that person and give them
understanding of Thy Love for them and persuasive words that will bring
them to trust fully in Thee, Lord Jesus, to be saved eternally.
Amen.”
You can read a longer more detailed account of Yoneko in Chapter 7 of my book, Safety, Rest, And Quiet. Also, if you search the name Yoneko on the Net, you might turn up some video of her life story in English.
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20) “My
Precious Lord God, please come right now, to take us Christian
believers Home to Heaven to be with Thee! Please! Amen”
Richard Yerby (Matsuida,
Japan) www.Christ-is-all.us