by Elder Mike Chon
(Editor’s note: Given the recent disaster in Japan, the Weekly Links has been delayed to bring you this article instead.)
The recent catastrophic disaster in Japan is a solemn reminder of the fallen world we live in and God’s impending judgment on this world. It appears that it is going to get worse before it gets better in Japan. A “natural” disaster is not something uncommon, but when these things occur many are left with questions and too many have trivial answers.
We need to be careful before we presume on God and assume that somehow God has given us the knowledge of why this happened, when it happened, and to whom it happened. God warns against assuming that people suffer more in this world because of some sin they committed (Luke 13:1-5). Some of us are too quick to give the “God is sovereign” answer and walk away from the horrific reality of the magnitude of the disaster that just occurred. Some of us may just think that it was “bad luck” and that “nature” just didn’t like them. Many of us in America are too busy with our own lives to even take time to consider how we should respond to such a disaster on the other side of the world.
One thing is certain, thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people have had their lives completely changed from this earthquake and the subsequent tsunami. During times when the world cannot give comfort, when the world cannot give an answer, and when the world has no solutions, people begin to search for something. When we realize that our lives can be completely turned upside down in a matter of moments, when all our hopes and dreams can be taken away, suddenly the people begin to search for something. Sooner or later people begin to realize that their understanding of the world is deficient. They cannot understand how and why something like this can happen. They need answers from the only One that can give answers.
This is the time to pray for the people of Japan. This is not the time to debate why this happened. We need to pray for those families that have been devastated and for their daily needs. We need to pray for people to go and preach the gospel to the people of Japan. We need to pray for the gospel to reach the people of Japan to show them the glory of God in the face of Christ. We need to pray for people to turn from their sin and turn their lives to the one and only Lord of this world. Apart from the financial support that they will need to recover, the people of Japan desperately need our prayers for God to display His glory. Let us kneel before our Lord and pray for the people of Japan.