Over

'When the uproar was over..' Acts 20:1

So despite impressive goals earlier in the tourney, Japan`s dreams of footy glory are over for another 4 years. I can`t resist offering a small piece of advice: the TV news showed a Shinto blessing for the team before the tournament started. Obviously such blessings don`t work against small Catholic countries in South America. Leave it out next time, and you may do better.

Asia

'he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia' Acts 19:22

Ten years in Japan, this week. I have spent a quarter of my life in this country, longer than millions of Japanese children who were born here. But I will always be a 外人. (outsider) That is partly why I find it very difficult to cheer for the team.

Three times

'You will be victorious only three times.' 2 Kings 13:19

I`m 40. Not old enough to have seen the England victory in '66, but old enough to have watched my team lose three times now to Germany in major football tournaments. I hope it is the last time.

Showers

'He showers compassion on all his creation.' Psalm 145:9

This time of year, the rain is so heavy sometimes that new waterfalls and streams spring up where none existed before.

Nations

'From one man he created all the nations' Acts 17:26

I love to see England win. I will be gutted if the German team beat us on penalties again. But I can`t help but feel the intense nationalism that the World Cup creates is not entirely a good thing. Heck, soccer even helped start a war once, in Honduras.

Beaten

'they were severely beaten' Acts 16:23

Not a great day to be Danish... or Italian.

Listening

'Listen when I cry to you for help..' Psalm 141:1

Clearly I would like the lads to win tonight. But it doesn't seem right to me to ask God for a victory at footie. Rooney is a Catholic. Tim Howard, the US goalie, is an Evangelical. I assume some of the Slovenes are Catholics as around 57% are, and I think it is safe to bet that there are quite a few Muslims on the Algerian team. So where does that leave us?

It seems okay to ask God that no one get injured... I think He is more concerned with the state of our souls than who actually gets the ball in the back of the net- although I am sure He already knows who will.

Travel

'You see me when I travel' Psalm 139:3

Please guys, take the time to read all of Psalm 139. It`s worth it.

~~~

I probably will never travel as far as Mongolia, so going last night to a Mongolian restaurant for the first time ever was a real privilege.

Prophets?

'all the prophets are promising victory' I Kings 13:22

Boasting

'A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won.'

I Kings 20:11

So much for it being an easy group.

Angel

'an angel touched him' I Kings 19:5

Found a English book by Jean Vanier in a second hand bookshop today.

Ruler

'Nadab son of Jeroboam began to rule...' I Kings 15:25

New PM in Japan. How long will he last? God knows.

War

'There was constant war..' I Kings 15:7

Wouldn't it be nice to get on with the neighbours?

City

'I will bless this city and make it prosperous..' Psalm 132:15

Hope

'put your hope in the LORD' Psalm 131:3

Football teams will always let you down sooner or later.

Baptized

'Why can`t I be baptized?' Acts 8:36

In Orissa in India it is now illegal to be baptized without government permission.

Oppression

'I have certainly seen the oppression...' Acts 7:34

Saw a powerful documentary about the plight of the orangutan- their forests are being destroyed.

The Sumatran orangutan is critically endangered.

Guarding

'Unless the LORD protects a city,

guarding it with sentries will do no good.' Psalm 127:1

Had a job offer for the SDF yesterday, the Japanese Army. The man I currently work for has a contract with them, it seems, to provide English teachers.

Maybe I was a fool to turn it down. But to work for the very people who tried to kill my father, however long ago it was, seems like a kind of betrayal. I know most of what they do now is good, helping around the world. But if you are Japanese, how would you feel about working for the British Army? Ambivalent, surely?

Justice

'governing my people with justice...' 1 Kings 3:11

I paid tax today. When I bought something at the supermarket. But I can`t have any say in how that tax is spent because I have only lived here ten years, and wasn`t born here.

If I did have a say, I would try to vote for people who reduced government waste.

Tempted

'Tempted to do wrong..' Psalm 125:3

Who tempted who?

good?

'A good man...' I Kings 1:42

..is hard to find.

Choose

'Choose one of these punishments...' 2 Samuel 24:11

What minor infliction would you choose instead of a chipped tooth?

Instruction

'Those who listen to instruction will prosper...' Proverbs 16:19

It is very difficult to get a toddler to study a foreign language for an hour and a half every week, without using scare tactics. But I try.

Blood

'they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means ''Field of Blood'' ...' Acts 1:19

May God have mercy on the souls of those who died in Cumbria.

Life

'written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life...' John 20:31

The Gospel truly is good news.