When Wartime enemies become Gospel partners

War stories from all periods of history intrigue me due to their show of loyalty and valiance. Men who willingly suffer and die to defend their countries land or "namesake" inspire me to loyalty and valiance. However, I am intrigued most when I read a war-time story that manifest the magnificence grace of God. The story of Japenese war pilot Mitsuo Fuchida and American war pilot Jacob DeShazer reveals how the grace of God reconciles enemies making them brothers. The short of the story is that Fuchida was an American hating Japanese who served as a leader in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Jacob DeShazer was an American pilot who, while bombing Japan, was captured, imprisoned, and tortured for approximately 40 months. Jacob despised and hated the Japanese, but while imprisoned by them, someone gave him a copy of the Scriptures. Upon his reading the Word He was converted which led to his heart being warmed and softened to the enemy. Jacobs inordinate hatred had been converted to gospel love in such a manner that, having been released, he returned to Japan as a Christian missionary to plant churches. Fuchida, in like manner, hated America/Americans in such a manner that he took pleasure in bombing Pearl Harbor. However, following the War he to encountered the Word of God which led to his conversion from Buddhism to Christianity. Fuchida had also read and been inspired by DeShazer's testimony, which inspired his reading and acceptance of the gospel. In 1950, DeShazer the missionary met Fuchida the new convert at which time DeSahzer spent some time discipling Fuchida in the faith. According to the Christianity Today article, Fuchida became an evangelist who spent the rest of his days preaching the gospel in his homeland of Japan. Christianity Today quoted Fuchida as saying, ""That morning [December 7] … I lifted the curtain of warfare by dispatching that cursed order, and I put my whole effort into the war that followed. … [But] after buying and reading the Bible, my mind was strongly impressed and captivated. I think I can say today without hesitation that God's grace has been set upon me."The grace of God dispensed through the gospel reconciled enemies making them brothers who both spent their last days proclaiming the message of peace in Jesus. Has the grace of God been "set upon you?" Has your heart been warmed and softened to your enemies? How inspiring to read of how God took such a tragic event in history and used such for the manifestation of His glorious grace.

You can find the Christianity Today article here