A Prayer for Japan

A Prayer for Japan


The power of moving water is greater than most of us can imagine. Nothing stands before it. We are driven to our knees:

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.

Topic Natural Disasters

Spring Break

It is FINALLY Spring Break!!!! It feels good not to have any major things going on this week! I made out my list this morning of both work-related and non-work related things I am doing this week, and though there is a lot, it's flexible and I don't have to wake up super early to do these things! I'm so excited!!! I'm also excited to see all the names of dear friends and kids I hope to get to see this week! My sister Tina is coming into town and I get to meet my baby niece, Allie Marie, for the first time, as well as see Katie, Michael, and Ethan! I also get to visit with my dear friend Christine and her two babies! Two more kids I get to see and spend a lot of time with are my friend Leah's kids. They lift me up every time I see them!!! I love how God always is faithful to place people in my life at the right time to love me and for me to love!

I have no idea what the next several months hold with all of the budget issues with schools, so I just want to enjoy this break as much as possible because I don't know what breaks would look like in the future if I'm no longer a teacher. I'm not worried though b/c HE has always taken care of me and is a good, sovereign, and faithful Father and Provider!!!

Please pray for those in Japan. My heart hasn't stopped thinking about the people there since I heard about this yesterday. Yesterday, my facebook status was that I felt helpless. However, this morning I woke up with the strong conviction that the GREATEST thing we can do is to PRAY. So, please pray unceasingly for them. The Holy Spirit is groaning for them as well (Rom. 8:26). I can't imagine what neat things could happen if we all were in urgent prayer for the people in Japan!

Okay, I'm off to mow the backyard! ;) Well if I can get away from this computer, I will be! ;)

Oh yeah, I'm back for something I forgot to post. I'm fundraising for March for Babies, in honor of all the kids that are born premature. I want them to continue to research and save the lives of precious babies around the world! If you are interested, please walk with me and/or donate.

for you Melinda!

I LOVE MELINDA DUMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She blessed me and I'm extremely thankful to have her in my life!!!

Question

Also, how do I get this to link to my facebook so that my fb posts when I update the blog??? I am so out of the technology loop! ;)

long time

I just realized it's been 6 months since I've posted, and it was since February of last year before that post. That's crazy. When I was in college I had a xanga account and I updated that almost too much and shared my heart so well on that. I don't do that on here for a few reasons I think. On here, I have no idea if anyone is reading it, whereas with xanga I knew I was writing to friends and so I was more motivated. Secondly, I feel more restricted in what I can write these days because anyone and everyone can see these posts and I would have to have too many boundaries to freely express myself like I would like. I also dno't get on the computer very often and apparently in college I was on it all the time! ;)

I hope I can get over these and post regardless, b/c I enjoy reading my friends' blogs and would like to update more often! I think most of my posts on this blog ave been about how I want to write more. Hopefully I will from now on!

Love you all!

Friend's Devotional

Okay, so my friend Rebekah shared a much needed devotional on facebook and so I'm sharing it on here too.

Eccl. 3:11 " God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end."

"If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth" -Eccl 11:3

"If we believe the message of this verse, then why do we dread the clouds that darken the sky? It is true that for a while the dark clouds hide the sun, but it is not extinguished and it will soon shine again. Meanwhile those clouds are filled with rain, and the darker they are, the more likely they are to bring plentiful showers.

How can we have rain without clouds? Our troubles have always brought us blessings, and they always will, for they are the dark chariots of God's bright and glorious grace. Our God may drench us with grief, but he will refresh us with his mercy......so let us now worry about the clouds. Instead let us sing because May flowers are brought to us through April clouds and showers."

Revelation Song

Revelation Song from Northwood Church on Vimeo.