The Pacific Rim in the Pacific Union

Jesus Saves!

Waft it on the rolling tide:

Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Tell to sinners far and wide:

Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Sing, ye islands of the sea;

Echo back, ye ocean caves;

Earth shall keep her jubilee:

Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

This song came to mind as I sat together with pastoral representatives from many of those “islands of the sea”—Indonesia, Japan, Philippines and Tonga,--as well as the nations of Korea, China, and others.

The Asian-Pacific pastors of the Pacific Union gathered in the ballroom of the Palms Hotel in Thousand Oaks, California for several days this past week. Elder George Atiga invited me to present a devotional thought for the final morning. My subject, “Haiku Gospel”, spoke of the succinct way that God presents His Truth about Himself, us, and our destiny with Him.

The joy of the journey for me was to again meet colleagues from past fields of labor as well as make new friends from among the wonderful team of Asian-Pacific workers who labor in the many language groups scattered throughout the seven conferences of the Pacific Union. Their witness, in a literal sense, fulfills the poetry of the hymn. Together they proclaim, “Jesus saves! Jesus saves!”


My devotional closed with a Haiku written by my wife, Jennifer, last Sabbath afternoon. It speaks to me so beautifully of the work of the Trinity for our salvation. Notice that it follows the form of the English Haiku of three lines, 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables.

Father
Gave His only Son
Watched Him live a perfect life.
Welcomed Him back Home.

Son
Born in a manger
Lived the life that I could not.
Died that I might live.

Spirit
Quietly teaches
Rejoices when I listen.
Never abandons.

All three are involved.
One gave, One died, One Comforts.
As One—Salvation.