Some of us, I know, have been to Japan (as tourists, on mission trips) and love the country. For them, but also for everyone else who has seen the horrifying footage and photos, here's a small summary of prayer points and links to read and think over, pray and act on.
Some responses here, here and here.
WHAT can we do?
1. PRAY. Prayer is never the last thing we do, it's always the first and most powerful. We can pray knowing that our Almighty and compassionate God hears and answers. A few prayer points:
- Pray for mercy, that as many lives among those still stranded and missing will be saved.
- Pray for the injured, that medical help will reach them swiftly.
- Pray for God's comfort for the grieving, who have lost loved ones
- Pray for His comfort to the fearful, those who have had to evacuate, those who fear the after-effects (radiation, fires, etc...)
- Pray for wisdom and clarity among all the different people/agencies getting involved in rescue and relief work there, as well as for Japan's government.
- Pray for the church in Japan, for strength and for the ability to be a light. Pray for the people of Japan, for grace to come to know Jesus Christ and a lasting salvation.
2. GIVE. There are so many out there, so here are just three avenues for those who may wish to give materially to relief efforts:
- Red Cross I'm sure everyone's heard of.
- World Vision is sending shelter, food and hygiene supplies to Japan. Its focus is on children and so intends to provide psychological support to affected children.
- JEMA affliated CRASH works through local Japanese churches to help those in affected communities and areas.
WHY did all this happen?
From bethinking.org:
"2011 Earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan...2011 Earthquakes in New Zealand...2011 Flooding in Queensland, Australia...2010 Earthquake in Haiti...The list could go on. The question naturally arises: If God is so good, how come He allows these natural disasters to cause such death, pain and devastation? But there are some responses we can make as we consider this difficult question. "
Some responses here, here and here.
From blogs out there:
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