Last Friday morning I groggily walked into the foyer of the Microtel looking for a cup of coffee and a bagel. Instead I found a crowd gathered around the front desk TV. Silenced. There were no words to say as we watched entire neighborhoods of homes swept off their foundation and swept away as if they were on a gigantic Slip N Slide. We wordlessly sipped our coffee, covered our bagels with cream cheese, and planned our family vacation as we surveyed from a safe distance loss that was incomprehensible. Refilling his bowl of Fruit Loops and glancing up at the TV, my son made a comment, “I sure am glad that can never happen to us.” Immediately, Amy and I looked at each other, not because we were surprised at his comment, but because we had been caught. In other words, Connor didn’t devise that deceptive personal philosophy, he was tutored in it. By who, you might ask? By us. In our most honest moments, we have believed under the cover of thinly veiled gratitude, that we are untouchable. Unbreakable.
After we had that Mom and Dad conversation that didn’t include any words, but was entirely with eyes and body language, we knew we had to address what we were watching. “Connor, that can happen to us. All of that devastation, loss of life…that can happen to us.” What followed was the most difficult theological conversation–not just because talking about suffering, the sovereignty of God and original sin are weighty, but because my son is ten years old and his only world view is the town in which we live in and the yearly trek to the beach in which we were on. How do you explain earthquakes and Tsanamies? Do I take him to Matthew 24 and explain that the world is the birth pangs of the coming of Jesus? How do I explain thousands upon thousands losing their lives in moments? Do I tell him that most of them are now eternally separated from their creator in Hell and now the real suffering begins? How do I explain the obscene amount of money spent on vacations, hotel stays, restaurant bills and frills while so many are without the basic necessities of life in Japan? Do I tell him to count his blessings and be grateful that we were born in America? Do I tell him, “We give at church…so we aren’t really responsible for those people. We will make sure we pray for them tonight at bed time.” Is that what we should say?
There are certainly dozens of responses to the destruction and loss in Japan, but I have 3 that will not be surprising:
First, we must pray. If you’re like me, maybe you’re asking, “How do I pray for what is happening in Japan? Where do I start?” “Ummm, God….help Japan.” Is that the prayer God is looking for? I don’t think so. These are prayer we need to pray, persistently:
Prayers for the church to be united and empowered (John 17). There has never been a greater opportunity in Japan, other than WWII, for the church to capitalize on the need for Jesus Christ. If there is ever a time for the church to clothe the naked, bind up the broken hearted and heal the sick, it is now. If there is ever a time for the church in Japan to proclaim peace in the midst of turmoil (John16:33), it is now. If there is ever a time for the church to lay down the timidity of offending a neighbor, it is now–for the sake of His Name.
Prayers for the Japanese to come to live-giving, vibrant and soul stirring faith in Jesus Christ. In John 17, Jesus first prays for his disciples that they would continue in this obviously “other world” mission, while living in this world. Jesus then prays for those who will believe. He knows what we often forget, the pain of this world is an opportunity for the eternal hope of Jesus to penetrate even the hardest hearts. So yes, we must pray for many to come to faith in this crisis. Otherwise, it will be for nothing.
We can pray also that our hearts would be softened by those around us in pain, so we might respond with the love of Christ and a sacrifice that matches. So friends, we must pray.
The second response to the tragedy in Japan is that we would give. Yep…our money. And lots of it. We must give up the fantasy that our money is our own and what we earn is solely designed to prosper our already fattened soul. A brief read of Luke 12:13-21 will reveal a terrible truth. A person is called a “fool” [by God] if he uses his excess money to only bring added pleasure and security to himself. Verse after verse, command after command in the Old Testament and New Testament is enthroned around meeting the needs of those around us. So friends, we must not only pray, we must give.
Third, we must go. And if we do not go, we must send. Let me clarify, sending is not the alternative or pansies choice to going. But there are seasons in life and not everyone at all times can go. If all went, who would stay to raise children, grow crops and meet the needs of locals? However, we are ALL called to go sometime. Matthew 28:19-20 is not limited to the super disciples and over-achievers. Jesus commands us ALL to go because he us much more interested in His fame than our comfort. So friends, we must all pray, give and go.
