pray for japan

In the last week Japan has undergone some of the worst disasters that I could not wish on my worst enemy. With a 9.0 earthquake so powerful that is shook the Earth’s axis making our days shorter by milliseconds and moving the entire island of Japan 13 feet closer to the United States. The devastated country also suffered numerous aftershock quakes almost just as powerful. When the earth began sitting still a new sound was heard of water rushing through Japan caused by an enormous tsunami pushing cars, buildings, and burying thousands more not just under rubble, but now also underwater. With fallen buildings and flooded streets, a nuclear power plant is on the verge of having a meltdown causing over 250,000 to evacuate. Though the plant is currently maintaining any nuclear leaks, it only seems a matter of time before the cancer causing poison is released into the air and the ground. Thousands of lives have been lost, thousands more missing, homes swept away, fear and panic that most of my generation never had to experience.

In the midst of such tragedy we can only pray and wait to see how we can help. Yet instead of prayers, instead of concern, and instead of ready volunteerism, it seems that the U.S. has been led only to start worrying about themselves. The web has been ablaze with articles about how Japan can negatively affect our financial economy! How narcissistic can a nation be to ultimately be concerned with our pocket books in the wake of such an ugly tragedy! The catastrophe in Japan only seems to be of value to us in terms of how it might affect our own interest. Gilbert Gottfried tried to use the events to bolster his “comedic career” Gottfired Fired by making crude jokes concerning the tsunami. Undoubtedly there are also many others who are licking their chops at these events and see opportunities to bolster their careers in media, journalism, or even blog hits (I really don’t care if my blogs gets any more or less hits). I hope that you have seen some of the self-interest preservation going on, and I hope you see it for what it is; pure selfishness.

However, I know there are many good people left in this country who are not solely concerned with their pocketbooks and careers. There is still much to be done. I first suggest you pray, and then pray, and pray some more. No matter what relief does come, the people of Japan need prayer in their mourning and restoring processes. Pray that God does a miraculous sign, and gives strength. Second, give to relief programs show that you care. Third, realize that 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the things that happen in the world are not about you, but they are about others, so start doing for them.