What is a Moomin?

Dining Alone?

If you don't like to dine alone, some restaurants in Japan are providing an
alternative. At these restaurants, you can dine with a Moomin.

What is a Moomin? They originated in Finland, but they are also popular in
Japan. Mitchell Dillon provides a description: "Moomins are a family of
white, anime, hippo-like characters created by Finnish illustrator and
writer Tove Jansson. They've been around for decades, and have increased in
popularity around the world, especially in anime-obsessed Japan, where
Moomin House Cafes are catering to the solitary diner."

At one of these restaurants, you can sit with a giant, plush toy Moomin so
you don't have to be by yourself. *

Will sitting with a big, cute, plush Moomin really satisfy one's need for
companionship?

The truth is: even dining with real people doesn't satisfy our greatest
needs.

Jesus encountered a Samaritan woman at a well outside of Sychar in the
middle of the day. She was shocked when Jesus, a Jew, asked her for a drink
of water from the well, because Jews did not associate with Samaritans at
that time (John 4). The woman experienced greater shock when Jesus, a
complete stranger, told her about her marital situation: she had been
married five times and was now living with a man (John 4:16-18).
Apparently, this woman had been trying to quench her thirst for
companionship and fulfillment in relationships with men. But she wasn't
fulfilled. Now, perhaps so she can avoid people and their snide comments,
she has come in the heat of the day to draw water. Jesus offers her living
water. If she will accept the living water that He offers, she will never
thirst again (John 4:13-15). What Jesus is offering is a saving
relationship with God that is the only thing that can satisfy the deep
longings of the human heart.

Just as He did to some lukewarm Christians, Jesus offers a wonderful
invitation: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he
with Me" (Revelation 3:20). He is offering intimate, fulfilling, eternal
communion that satisfies our deepest longings forever.

Our sins separate us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). But God loves us so much
that He gave His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins (John
3:16; Romans 5:8). Through Jesus, we can have salvation, deep and abiding
fellowship with God, and eternal life (Romans 6:23).

Jesus saves and abides with those who place their faith and trust in Him
(Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess
Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for
the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will continue to cleanse from sin
and abide with those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John
1:7-9).

Dining with a Moomin can be a unique and even enjoyable experience. The
same can be said for dining with a person. But only Jesus can quench our
deepest longings for salvation, abiding love, and eternal fellowship.
Mitchell Dillon astutely wrote: "A Moomin might fill an empty seat, but only
Jesus can fill an empty heart."

Won't YOU "open the door" to Him through your trusting obedience?

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from "The Anti-Loneliness Café" by Mitchell Dillon in
www.freesermonillustrations.com and "Moomin, Japan's 'anti-loneliness' cafe,
goes viral" by Francis Cha of CNN, www.cnn.com.