Pray for Fukushima First Baptist Church

Want some help in praying for the people of Japan?

Tim Challies' blog has quotes from Akira Sato, a Baptist pastor in Fukushima, near the nuclear reactor with so many problems. His people have endured the worst of the troubles from the quake and tsunami, and some of them work at the nuclear plant facing danger from radiation. Pastor Sato wrote:

Yesterday (Friday, March 18) one member who has been with us since the disaster had received an order from his company and left for work in the nuclear plant. (He is a leader of the plumbing job). As the family of God, knowing the departing pains of his loved ones, in tears we dispatched the brother with prayers. He left here with the Lord. Beside him, there are others, our precious members, who have been working hard at the plant. O, Lord, please protect them with your almighty hand! I beg you, please! ‘Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, ….that thine hand might be with me, and that wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me.’ (1 Chronicles 4:10)”

Read more about Fukushima First Baptist Church at Challies Dot Com. Let's remember to pray for them. May the Lord be with our brothers and sisters in their suffering, and their service to their suffering community.

Responding to the Disaster in Japan

The news from Japan over the past four days has been so overwhelming in its intensity and horror that it is difficult for me to know how to react and pray. I am sure that is true for many others. Adrian Warnock, a fellow blogger from Great Britain, has published a characteristically helpful post on 10 Ways a Christian should respond to the earthquake in Japan:

As Japan braces itself for a possible further serious earthquake, and deals with the consequences of such massive devastation caused by the last one, not to mention the risk of a major nuclear incident, how should Christians respond? Please understand that none of this is intended to claim that we have all the answers to such a disaster. In fact, like Job’s friends’ initial response, often the best thing we can do is say absolutely nothing, and share people’s pain. 

I write this article with many unanswered questions. But, unlike those who allow suffering to drive them away from God, I am convinced that only God makes sense of suffering. For if the Japanese who died really were just the random fruit of evolution, why should it matter to us if they died? But if each of them are made in the image of their creator, and lovingly crafted together in their mother’s womb, our inherent feeling that suffering is NOT welcome in this world makes perfect sense. God loves every human being, they are precious to him.

 Adrian goes on to list the following ten points.

1. We should not be surprised
2. We should be humbled before the awesome power of "Nature."
3. We should not assume the end is at hand
   
4. We should not assume the end is not at hand
5. We should not specifically blame the Japanese.
6. We should not blame God, but we should pray.
7. We should understand that suffering is in the world due to sin in a general sense.
8. We must not assume the devil "won" this time.
9. We should look forward to the day when there will be no more pain.
10. We should share the glorious gospel of Jesus that brings us hope and work to relieve suffering.

 Please go to the link to read his entire piece.  May God have mercy on the people of Japan, and may his mercy extend to us all.

Seven Ways to Pray for and Respond to Haiti

The list below of Seven Ways to pray for and respond to the Haitian earthquake crises is from Bishop Gerald Seale, head of the Caribbean Evangelical Association:

1. Generate ongoing intercession for the people of Haïti and the Government of Haïti. They are dealing with devastation and destruction that is unprecedented in Haïti or anywhere in the Caribbean in our life times.

2. Generate ongoing intercession for the responders who will be going into Haïti. It is not unusual for these persons to be plagued with deep depression and exhaustion as they seek to help the injured and dying and as they move people from shock and grief to rebuilding the nation.

3. Pray earnestly for the coordination of the aid that will be flowing into Haïti from numerous sources. Pray against corruption that always raises its ugly head in these situations and pray for the aid to quickly reach the people who need it.

4. Pray for pastors and church leaders who – while dealing with their own shock, grief and loss – will be ministering to everyone around them. Pray for their spiritual, psychological and emotional strength and their daily renewal so that they can minister effectively in this situation.

5. Pray that the country will be able to move quickly from disaster relief to planned reconstruction and that God will grant wisdom to rebuild stronger and better.

6. Pray for all those who will be making decisions on the relief and reconstruction phases. With God’s help Haïti can rise from this tragedy a stronger and better nation.

7. Finally, begin to make preparations for a meaningful response to our brothers and sisters in Haïti. I will keep in touch with the major Evangelical Christian relief agencies and seek ways in which we can partner in meaningful ways.

Hat Tip: Seven Ways to Pray for and Respond to Haiti Liveblog Christianity Today