Yesterday I had the privilege of worshiping with the congregation at Mustard Seed Church in Saitama. Although we came from different cultures and spoke different first languages, our fellowship in Christ reminded me that the church truly is one family.
Pastor Jon preached from 1 Samuel 8 and 15: 24-26, focusing on Saul’s insecurity and how it became a disease that brought suffering not only into his own life but also into the life of Israel. His message challenged us to examine our own hearts. Are we more concerned with our outward achievements, our reputation, and how others perceive us than with faithfully following God?
One statement especially stayed with me: “Insecurity says I need something other than God.” Israel rejected God as King because they wanted a king they could see. We often do the same. We seek visible accomplishments, recognition, approval, or control instead of resting in the sufficiency of Christ. Pastor Jon asked a searching question: “Do I crave the taste of my own reward?”
The sermon also offered hope. True security begins with repentance. Repentance is not a single moment of regret but an entire life reoriented toward God. Saul’s ultimate downfall was not simply that he struggled with insecurity; it was that he refused to genuinely repent.
The good news is that Jesus is the better King. He alone deserved monuments celebrating His reign, yet instead He willingly endured the shame of the cross. He died in our place, but death could not hold Him. Through His resurrection, He has victory over every consequence of sin. By the power of the Holy Spirit, He heals us from the diseases of the heart, including our insecurity, and empowers us to seek God’s approval rather than the praise of people.
As I reflected on this message while worshiping alongside Japanese brothers and sisters in Christ, I was reminded that the deepest needs of every human heart are the same. Whether in Japan or Texas, our hope is not found in what others think of us but in the faithful reign of our true King, Jesus Christ.
Please pray for the believers in Japan, that they would continue to persevere through seasons of waiting, seasons of loneliness, and the effects of living among teachers, coworkers, and family that do not understand their devotion to a God they believe is foreign to their identity as Japanese. Pray for the Spirit to embolden all believers to love well, hold fast to what is true, and repent quickly when we recognize that we are seeking kings other than our beloved King Jesus.
Grace and Peace,
Sandra
Context & Calling 
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