I wrote more about my grandmother's death.
The Lamb of God
February 20, 2004
Miwaza J. Kanno
"...The Lamb of God Will Walk the Paths of the Lord..."
On February 20, 2004 the phone rang and I was told that my grandmother Michiko had passed away. She was sixty eight years old. My parents decided to go to Fukushima where my grandparents lived, to prepare for her funeral. When I first heard that my grandmother died, I was so shocked that my eyes started to fill with tears. At that time I didn't know why she had died and I felt hopeless. She was studying the Bible everyday for around two years. She studied the Bible two or four hours a day, and she studied it really hard.
My grandmother was reading the Bible and went to the church, but she wasn't baptized yet, so I was worrying whether she went to heaven or hell. During our trip to Fukushima, I was worrying about this the whole time. When I arrived at my grandparents' house, I knew that my grandmother died while she was studying the Bible. My father found out the reason she had died. He found out that she died because she studied the Bible too hard. When I saw what she was studying and what she wrote in her Bible Study Notebook, I knew that she was a Christian.
She wasn't baptized, but she was a Christian. She wanted to be baptized but she couldn't, because of her husband, my grandfather. She live for God's glory and she lived like a Christian woman. She is a great example to us, of how we are supposed to live as Christian men and women. At that moment I knew I was not hopeless anymore and God made me believe that I will meet her again in heaven.
The day before the funeral was snowy and was really cold. But on the funeral day, God showed us His great work. On that day the weather was perfect and I saw the bright sun and the beautiful mountains. At night I saw many stars shining in the sky. Truly, only God is our help and comfort our times of sadness.
This unexpected occurrence in my life first gave me a shock but God gave me more comfort. I learned many things from my grandmother's death. I learned the greatness of the comfort given through our brothers and sisters in Christ. At the funeral we sang the hymn called "God Be With You Till We Meet Again". This hymn makes me believe that I will meet her again in heaven more firmly. "Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;"
Her life on this earth was over and she has started her eternal life in heaven. Her life on this earth was full of sadness and worries. But at last she found peace, true peace in heaven, the Kingdom of God. She was alone as a Christian in Fukushima. She studied the Bible alone, but now she is with Jesus Christ and the people who believe in Jesus. She is praising God in Heaven with them. She is not alone anymore. I am so thankful to God for giving me a great Christian grandmother. I am also proud to have a grandmother like her.
I feel the great handiwork of God, God's mercy, God's love and God's glory from everything that happened at my grandmother¡Çs death. When I was on the way home, I was full of joy towards God. She left behind her great testimony of God for her non-Christian relatives, and not only for them, she also left us a great testimony. At the funeral, my eyes were filled with tears of joy towards the Love of God and His great mercy.
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
--- Revelation 22:1-7 ---
>My friend Ken corrected my English mistakes. Thank you very much Ken;)<
You're welcome!
Your grandmother was truly a great example to us.
I pray to be able to have joy in the Word of God as much as she did.
Praise His merciful Name!
Posted by: Ken Shiomitsu at March 11, 2004 02:37 PMI am so sorry to hear about your grandmother. But I was just studying today in 1 Thessalonians 4:14 "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus."
I know that your grandmother will always be with the Lord.
Many Japanese want to be baptized but cannot. They are trying to love their husbands and parents and honor them so that they will someday know Jesus too. It is a hard decision but a loving one.
In many ways baptism is like a marriage ceremony. When people get married it doesn't mean that's when they start loving each other. The marriage is just when they decide to announce their love publicly to the world. Jesus and your grandmother love each other very much! She could not annouce it on earth, but now it is being announced by the angels throughout heaven.
God Bless You,
Jonathan Wilson
gracejapan.com
I'm glad I could visit Fukushima on the day before the funeral.
Yes, it was cold and snowy, but I felt the warmness and love of the Lord's presence there with us that day.
Sitting there with the non-Christian relatives and friends of your grandmother, I could clearly see that their lives had been forever touched by the Lord that day because of your grandmother's death.
I believe the Lord used your grandmother's wonderful example to pour the light of the gospel out on this dark corner of Japan, which otherwise would have continued to be cloaked in darkness and indifference.
Your grandmother's example and the message of hope which Pastor Smith gave at the funeral definitely left a strong impression on these people. Let's pray for their souls, and for the Lord's mercy and grace upon them.
God bless you and your family, Miwaza! ;)
Posted by: Gen at March 12, 2004 03:32 PMThat was a lovely post. Thank you for telling us about it. The pictures are pretty too.
Posted by: Entwife at March 13, 2004 12:17 PMMiwaza, I'm sorry you've lost your grandmother so soon. Katherine was praying for her every night and it's so good to read your beautiful tribute to your grandmother, and to our merciful God.
Posted by: Mrs. Cumbee at March 13, 2004 12:17 PMMiwaza, I am also very sorry to hear that you have had to lose your grandmother. But it is also very encouraging to me that you have found such comfort in God during this time. It helps me not to worry about the death of my relatives as much.
I will pray for you. God Bless you.
Posted by: Summer at March 18, 2004 12:37 AM