As a growing boy and study history in school, it dawned on me my father was born on the day Japan was bombed towards the end of WWII. As my father served during the war, I asked him of his memory and the fact the Atomic Bomb would forever be associated with his birthday. His reply was quite surprising.
On August 6, 1945, Kanji Araki, at the time only a toddler, was playing on the floor. Although an air-raid siren had sounded a warning, few paid it any heed since Hiroshima had previously escaped bombing. Then a blinding flash lit up the sky. Superheated air rushed at tremendous speed, knocking down buildings and setting the center of the city ablaze. In the days that followed the nuclear detonation, Kanji’s grandmother, brother, and sister died from radiation sickness.
As Kanji grew up, he experienced emotional conflict about those who suffered and died because of the bomb. His parents were Christians, but Kanji adopted a secular view of life. Yet he felt a growing emptiness inside. He began to study the Bible to discover for himself who Jesus is. At a spiritual turning point, Kanji put his trust in Christ, and his empty heart was filled with God’s wonderful assurance. When the Lord led him into the ministry, he cited 1 Corinthians 6:20 and said, “I was spared from death so that my life might have a higher purpose in serving God.”
My father came to know Kanji as he served under him for a summer in Wild Wood, NJ. You may remember my father was a Chef. He employed many young college students looking to earn money for tuition and books. In Kanji’s case, he was attending seminary. Kanji told the story to my father when the restaurant staff celebrated my Dad’s birthday impromptu.
As you can see I remember my father’s story quite vividly. Here I thought he would say he was in anguish. It turned out quite the opposite. As his birthday will pass this week I thought you would gain inspiration from his encounter.
Knowing God gives meaning to life, and obeying God gives purpose to life.
See you next Sunday,
MJ