Prayer for Japan
how to help in a country that won't admit the need...
I sit here in the comfort of my big chair, sitting in front of my TV, with my heat on, my power on, my internet connection working... My daughter is sleeping safely upstairs...
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apply this picture to your surroundings right now...
then read on...
All of the sudden Mt. Hood erupts... the west face blows out with the ferocity of Mt. St. Helens times 10, and blows rocks, ash and lava towards Portland. The sudden melt of the glaciers and snow on Mt. Hood sends mudslides hurtling towards the Portland metro area. We don't even know what is about to hit us. Possibly huge boulders, maybe a mudslide, or maybe just so much ash that we can't see or breath.
This is essentially what the people along the coast of Japan have experienced. First, an earthquake of proportions that even I can't understand. I lived only miles from the epicenter of the Northridge quake in Southern California, but even at an explosive 6.7, it was nothing compared to an 8.9 or 9.0 of the recent quake in Japan. Second, we didn't have to endure an even more destructive tsunami washing away not only buildings, but lives, and not just lives, but entire communities.
Think and pray on this before you click read more...
I'm preparing to take a vacation, a second honeymoon for the 10th anniversary of my marriage to my amazing wife Marion. A vacation that by all means is probably extravagant by the standards of most. In these times it almost makes me wish I could take all the money that we have saved and spent and redirect it towards helping Japan.
At the same time, I know that Marion and I need this. We have saved for this, and it is important for our marriage. I also know that whatever we can do to help, God has called us to this and we will. I'm not sure yet how we can or will, I just know that we will.
We don't have concerns for nuclear meltdown in Portland, nor do we much worry about earthquakes or other natural disasters. I feel privileged to live in a place that is tame in comparison to the rest of much of the world. We do however live along the Pacific Rim, and our chances of facing natural disasters are as likely as Japan. God has spared our land this time, if only so that we can help those who are in need.
This leads to the question though, "Why didn't God prevent this from happening in Japan?".
The question could come up a million times, for a million different locales, and the only answer is that God allows things like this to happen so that He can work in ways that we can't even start to comprehend. But upon examination, God usually has some work to do in those areas, as in sometimes God allows these things to happen so he can reach people groups that might otherwise be unreachable. I don't know what reason that Japan has had such unfortunate circumstances, but it may lead to a large unreached people group to know and share Christ.
Marion and I have had our minds and hearts opened more than ever in the last year, from how we can help reach the unreached, to even more personally, how we might even be in the position to adopt a child. Our answers have not yet come, our path is still yet to be determined. In the long run however, are you going to allow God to work through you? That is His ultimate call, for us to be more like Him, for us to listen, trust, and obey...
Have you stopped to listen to what God is asking of you lately? Have you truly sat in the stillness of a moment, of a day, or the stillness of a disaster? It's hard to listen with all the noise that surrounds us, and even I am challenged with the fact that I need to sit in the days stillness and truly hear what is going on around me. In the face of true disaster going on, on this ever shrinking planet, do you hear a call? If you do, will you choose to answer it?
Pray for Japan, the people, the communities. Pray for the people that may respond, pray for those that are hurting, and pray for wisdom in a country that does not want to admit defeat. Pray that they let help come to them, pray that the one who can truly help this great nation breaks in, in a big way. Pray that these people come to know a saviour that has been kept from them. God loves the Japanese people, and every people group on this planet.
About the Author
Byron Olsen
Hi, I'm Byron, aka superbee! Who is Byron Olsen? At first glance....maybe you would describe me as a geek who you can relate to, athletic without being Mr. Sunday football, a man who adores his family and would do anything for them, and and a person who pursues new technology with vigor - so much so that any hobby I take on involves some sort of new gadget! If you want to get down to the typical 20 questions or adjective game, I am a Christian, husband, father, son, brother, brother in law, nephew, cousin, friend and business owner. I am human and imperfect, but Jesus died for my sins and I am trying my best to let Him shape my life to be like His. I have been married to my beautiful and strong wife for 10+ years and we have an energetic and affectionate six year old daughter together. My wife and I were married in the church in 2001 but never made God a priority in our family until 2009. We always believed in God and had personal relationships with him but we never let him have full control or made him the foundation of our life or our marriage until 2009. We were at the brink of divorce until we finally gave in and admitted what we were missing. Since then our lives have dramatically changed and have been very fulfilling and enriching. Everything we both grew up with and were missing was now being fulfilled. My wife Marion had achieved her MBA in Business and was Director of Marketing for a wellness company and I was a Network and Telephony Analyst for a national corporation. We both quit our corporate jobs in 2010 and launched our business, LightSpeed Designs - a marketing, web design, and graphic design firm. We had started the business as a side business in 2002. We had no idea God would ever turn it into our full time careers, until we felt his calling and followed it. Leaving our comfortable but unfulfilling corporate jobs was certainly a leap of faith! And God never turned his back on us. How is it possible we could both leap out on our own and leave the comfort of corporate America? No medical insurance, no 401k, no sick time, no vacation, no holidays....Yet, God provided. Every month, even in a terrible economy. God opened doors and provided. Allowing us time with our daughter in her first year of kindergarten, time together, time to serve our church and time to serve our community. We have enjoyed the most amazing year we've ever experienced.
Now, we're on to 2011 and we know God has amazing plans in store for us. We feel called to serve Him, whether that be through missions or ministry, using the gifts He's given us. We feel it deep in our souls and are letting Him lead. We hope you'll join us for the journey and watch God work in our humble and little lives 2011! We're just one of the many He loves. And so are you!
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