Japan's earthquake, tsunami and now nuclear disaster brought many of its people to their knees.
Danger lurks everywhere as there is no place in this world today, that is risk free of dangers. If it's not natural disasters to be afraid of --there are those man-made disasters ---such as the fall of the twin towers on 9/11.
We all try to plan as best we can and protect ourselves and families as well as possible, but let's face it--we have no control. We sometimes seem like busy little ants working hard before the rain and then the flood of disaster comes and all our hard work was for nothing.
The Japanese people have worked very hard to build the strongest buildings to withstand earthquakes--but the magnitude of the one on 3/11 has left many planners with their heads and bodies shaking. They did the best they could which kept the number of deaths and casualties a lot lower than Haiti's and that is a testimony to their great work.
But the impending worry of what is truly happening at the Fukushima plant is gripping the whole country as more big earthquakes (aftershocks) are being felt. Will man's attempts to stop the nuclear complex's worsening condition succeed? I hope and pray that they will see where their true help can come from. In the Holy Bible, in the story of Job who lost everything including his precious children (and his own wife told him to curse God)--Almighty God spoke to Job out of a storm. Could it be that God is speaking to the Japanese people out of their storm of trouble?
In Job Chapter 38 it says: Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
“Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?
Job 38:8-11
In the days of Daniel, his friends Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego (Daniel Ch 3) had to undergo sufferings and they trusted Almighty God to deliver them with a determination to be faithful no matter what (because He is God.) I pray that there would rise up such faith in the hearts of the Japanese people for Jehovah God--who is able to work all things for good. What the enemy has meant for evil can be the start of freedom from the bondage of slavery to sin for many of the Japanese people--who are good but are lost. The culture of suicide that has gripped many of its people is just another sign of that bondage.
Just as the Founding Fathers of America bowed their heads and bent their knees though their worst fears of the great trials of war before them and asked Almighty God to intervene--hopefully many in Japan would do the same. The battle for survival in the physical world must be accompanied by fighting in the spiritual with prayer and hope many will stand in the gap for them. And maybe as in Daniel Ch 2:19-23...
During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision.
Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said:
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
---May God have mercy and grace upon Japan's people and give wisdom to those who can make a difference and stop the leaking of radiation as well as stabilize the plant. May many see that the only truly trustworthy thing they can have on this earth is the one whom God sent to earth to become man and save us. Hard to figure with man's mind--good thing--we don't have to know it all --just trust as a child trusts a parent who loves him or her. And truly God loves us, after all he gave us his one and only Son. How awesome is that! Hope you'll read the Holy Scriptures and search for yourself (don't let they naysayers deprive you of truth for eternity.)
Jesus said in Matthew 7:7
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Where does true help come from?
King David tells us in Psalm 103--Hope you will trust the One David did and pray...
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
May God bless you and shine His face upon you.