Not too long ago, I heard one of my favorite songwriters, Michael Card, sing an old hymn I had never heard of called "Where Cross the Crowded Ways". It was originally written in the beginning of the 20th century in light of the urban, busy, and crowded New York City. It is an equally good song for Tokyo in the 21st century, today the world's largest city.
Where cross the crowded ways of life,
Where sound the cries of race and clan
Above the noise of selfish strife,We hear your voice, O Son of Man.
In haunts of wretchedness and need,
On shadowed thresholds dark with fears,
From paths where hide the lures of greed,
We catch the vision of Your tears.
From tender childhood’s helplessness,
From woman’s grief, man’s burdened toil,
From famished souls, from sorrow’s stress,
Your heart has never known recoil.
The cup of water given for You,
Still holds the freshness of Your grace;
Yet long these multitudes to view
The sweet compassion of Your face.
O Master, from the mountainside
Make haste to heal these hearts of pain;
Among these restless throngs abide;
O tread the city’s streets again.
Till sons of men shall learn Your love
And follow where Your feet have trod,
Till, glorious from Your Heaven above,
Shall come the city of our God!
As I read it, I am reminded of God's word to Jonah about Ninevah "And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city"? In the same way, God cares about the great city of Tokyo! May we have his heart for them to know him.
Reflections on mission to Japan's next generation
