Today is the two year anniversary of the great Tohoku earthquake. I remember two years ago, watching what was occurring on TV and feeling sorrow for those who lost their lives. I wondered why a loving and compassionate God would allow such disaster to occur. I processed and processed and all I could feel was pain over thousands who lost their lives without knowing Christ. Then, I remember stumbling upon a prayer John Piper had written:
Father in heaven, you are the absolute Sovereign over the shaking of the earth, the rising of the sea, and the raging of the waves. We tremble at your power and bow before your unsearchable judgments and inscrutable ways. We cover our faces and kiss your omnipotent hand. We fall helpless to the floor in prayer and feel how fragile the very ground is beneath our knees.
O God, we humble ourselves under your holy majesty and repent. In a moment—in the twinkling of an eye—we too could be swept away. We are not more deserving of firm ground than our fellowmen in Japan. We too are flesh. We have bodies and homes and cars and family and precious places. We know that if we were treated according to our sins, who could stand? All of it would be gone in a moment. So in this dark hour we turn against our sins, not against you.
And we cry for mercy for Japan. Mercy, Father. Not for what they or we deserve. But mercy.
Have you not encouraged us in this? Have we not heard a hundred times in your Word the riches of your kindness, forbearance, and patience? Do you not a thousand times withhold your judgments, leading your rebellious world toward repentance? Yes, Lord. For your ways are not our ways, and your thoughts are not our thoughts.
Grant, O God, that the wicked will forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Grant us, your sinful creatures, to return to you, that you may have compassion. For surely you will abundantly pardon. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus, your beloved Son, will be saved.
May every heart-breaking loss—millions upon millions of losses—be healed by the wounded hands of the risen Christ. You are not unacquainted with your creatures’ pain. You did not spare your own Son, but gave him up for us all.
In Jesus you tasted loss. In Jesus you shared the overwhelming flood of our sorrows and suffering. In Jesus you are a sympathetic Priest in the midst of our pain.
Deal tenderly now, Father, with this fragile people. Woo them. Win them. Save them.
And may the floods they so much dread make blessings break upon their head.
O let them not judge you with feeble sense, but trust you for your grace. And so behind this providence, soon find a smiling face.
In Jesus’ merciful name, Amen
This prayer still hits me emotionally. It makes sense of the tragedy. First, it dealt with God’s sovereign and righteousness. That no one deserves the life they breathe, but it is a gift and a free grace from God. Second, it dealt with God’s love. That God desires for us to know Him. He is a God quick to love and slow to anger. And finally, it revealed to me that God loves Japan.
Immediately following the disaster, Japan got a lot of attention from Christian leaders. Leaders and pastors trying to shepherd flocks in understanding this tragedy. Japan was prayed for due to the tragedy more than ever. For a nation that has less than 1% Christian, it needs the world to be praying for it. Because of that attention, the spotlight was turned to missions.
I love this video from another missionary here in Japan.
This video talks about the deeper issues existing in Japan; things like the incredibly high suicide rate.
In fact, I am here serving in Japan in part because of this disaster. God used this tragedy to open my heart up to Japan and to go and serve Him there.
Two years later, how has God worked?
God is relentless in his love and grace. And, he really does love Japan. Watch this video talking about what is happening 2 years after the tsunami from Hope Miyagi:
It is amazing to see the softening of hearts to the gospel. What is happening near the disaster area is also happening here in Nagoya. In Christ Bible Seminary, we have a student who lived close to the Nuclear Disaster plant. Leaving the disaster area, he decided to pursue seminary. His story recently came to the attention of NHK News which is a national channel in Japan. They did a story that was broadcast, giving light to what God is doing in our seminary.
Being here in Japan, I see God moving in the hearts of the Japanese people. I pray for revival here. And I pray for more people be to be filled with Jesus who can only truly satisfy us. I am so thankful God has allowed me to be a part of this mission. So, today I will pray the same prayer John Piper prayed 2 years ago.
In Jesus you tasted loss. In Jesus you shared the overwhelming flood of our sorrows and suffering. In Jesus you are a sympathetic Priest in the midst of our pain.
Deal tenderly now, Father, with this fragile people. Woo them. Win them. Save them.
And may the floods they so much dread make blessings break upon their head.
O let them not judge you with feeble sense, but trust you for your grace. And so behind this providence, soon find a smiling face.
In Jesus’ merciful name,
Amen
