“Make a Resolution before making a request to God”
Tenrikyo started in October 26th in1838 which is 181 years ago of this month,
Our Foundress, MIKI NAKAYAMA married to Zenyemon Nakayama who was the village head.
When Miki was 41 years old, God the Parent spoke through her mouth saying,
“I am God of Origin, God in truth. There is causality in this Residence. At this time I have descended here to save all humankind. I wish to receive Miki as the Shrine of God.”
Tsukihi means God the Parent, Shrine means where God resides.
At the age of 90, She withdrew from physical life, yet remains alive now and forever at the Residence of Origin, with the portals open, protecting humankind day and night and shedding HER infinite, parental love on each of us.
We are celebrating the 100th year of Tenrikyo Young Men’s Assn. this October 28th. Also there are many events happening on the eve of the festival too. Lewis, Lucas and myself are going to join these events.
We are often taught that when we are in trouble to ask God for blessing. However, it’s not enough to just ask. We need to make a resolution or make promise to God, and follow through on your resolution. For instance giving up something you are attached with.
I met this woman (in her 80’s) who shared me an interesting story of her mother by receiving a wonderful blessing through making a resolution to God.
This woman, I shall call her Mrs. A. She’s from Japan, met a local guy, and married him. They started a new life here in this island. Both had previous marriages. About 10 years after their marriage, her mother in Japan fell critically ill and was in coma in the hospital.
Since her mother always used to say she wants to die in her own bed her brothers and sisters asked the doctor if they could take her home. However it is very dangerous to move her now, the doctor said and prescribed a complete rest for her.
Mrs. A talked to her brother and sisters in Japan that by all means she wants to take her back home to fulfill her desire.
However, she lived far away in Hawaii and wanted to ask God for help. She asked her husband to find a church to worship for her mother. Her husband had an acquaintance who was a member of a Tenrikyo church, and they were introduced to the minister of his church. Mrs. A earnestly asked the minister to help her mother come home and be able to die in her bed.
The importance of making a resolution.
The minister responded “If you really want to fulfill your mom’s desire, give up something that you are really attached to. Mrs. A was a smoker and was smoking 5 packs a day. She smoked 50 cigarettes every day! It was hard for her to stop smoking. When she attempt to stop, her hands started shaking. Because it was for her mom’s sake, from that day she made a resolution not to smoke at all. She donated her last tobacco to God the Parent.
A special service was conducted for 21days. On the morning of 21st day, Mrs. A called Japan to find out how her mother was doing. The answer was “Nothing has changed.” Again that afternoon, after the last prayer service was done, she called Japan to find out. To everyone’s amazement, they told her their mother opened her mouth and uttered “I am hungry.” Her family gave her three sips of water, and since then she started to eat well. She ended up living for 5 more years in a good health and passed away peacefully in her bed.
Make a resolution and practice the teachings. I am sure we will receive miraculous blessings.
I believe that by making that resolution to quit smoking cigarettes, in addition to her mother, Mrs. A was herself also saved from poor health from heavy smoking.
Since then, she worked very hard for the church Hinokishin.
In another story shared the by late Rev. Sakichi Ono in his book called, “I Saw God Through Saving Others.” (Ref. Otasuke no Naka ni Kami o Mita, Doyusha Publishing Co. p. 167-169).
“…every morning a man came to our mission station asking God for help. …many people come asking God through prayers to be cured. This, in fact, is not to receive blessings.
Oyasama taught us that to receive a “priceless blessing,” we must sow a seed such that we can reap an appropriate harvest. The seed is our sincerity. We need to exert an effort that will show our boundless sincerity. With this sincerity you will reap a blessing. This is what true faith is about. (p. 169)
For instance, for those of us who want to receive a blessing, we need to give up something that we have an attachment to, like smoking or drinking. And keep it as promise to God. This will be your payment of sincerity from the core of your heart. If you accomplish this goal, you will surely receive a blessing.
“One day, a man came with his child on his back. The boy about 7 or 8 years old, had asthma, who has been suffering for many years. When the boy has an attack, he starts to cough which seems as if he can hardly breath. As a parent, it’s difficult to watch his son’s suffering. The father said, “I cannot bear to see my son’s suffering. Please help.” Rev. Ono said to the father, “I understand you’re having a hard time. But in order to receive a blessing from God the Parent, you as a parent must make a resolution, a promise to God and offer or follow through on the resolution you have made. What kind of resolution you think you can make.?
The father was so astonished and said, “Aaaaah.” Then Rev. Ono said, “What is your most favorite thing.”
He answered that he loves to drink.
Rev. Ono, then said, “Why don’t you quit drinking. Then used what you have saved to make offerings to God. If you can make a promise to God then I can administer the prayer to your son.
The father said he tried to quit so many times, but he couldn’t. He said, “I will stop heavy drinking and reduce it to one or two cups a day. How’s that?
If you cannot make a resolution, your child cannot be saved. Then the father finally decided to make a promise to quit his drinking. Rev. Ono then administered the Sazuke.
This child who had been wheezing for many years finally received a complete blessing.
Making and keeping your resolution with God will be the basis for receiving the most wonderful and marvelous blessing.
After 10 years passed, Rev. Ono happened to see this boy who was healthy and well.
In the Osashizu, we read:
“With human beings; the body is a thing borrowed. The mind alone is yours. From just one mind, any kind of truth will appear daily. I accept any kind of truth. You must understand the truth of free and unlimited workings.
Osashizu, 2/14/1899
In the Mikaguta-uta Song Three we sing:
Sixth, Never make an unreasonable prayer!
Come to Me with a single mind!
We have learned that when we ask God for a blessing, we need to make a resolution or promise to God and we will be bestowed that blessing.
Announcements
- Thank you for donating your deposit containers in our continuing fund drive.
- I will be returning to Jiba on October 20th to attend the Tengen Grand Service, CHQ Grand Service and also participate in the Tengen Jiba Pilgrimage. Also Lewis and Lucas will be returning to Jiba to attend the YMA 100th Anniversary Convention on 10/28.
- The MHQ Grand service will be held this coming Sunday on October 14.
- There will be no BGA Fun Night for UNICEF this year. However, the BGA will still be conducting the UNICEF collection drive. Please take one or two for work and home and join in the drive to assist those children in disaster stricken areas.
- We are collecting donations for disaster relief. These donations will be forwarded from Pearl Church to the MHQ disaster relief fund which recently donated $2,000 to Big Island lava damage, the relief efforts for Hurricane Harvey and Irma. MHQ will probably make another contribution for relief efforts in Puerto Rico as well.