Leaning on the Lord

Leaning on the Mighty Oak Tree

March 2011

Psalms 57:1 NIV

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed."

As I watch the horrific images of the disaster in Japan unfold, I am left to wonder, where is God in this story?  I have read and listened to one news report after another focusing on the devastation of  Japan.

However, I have looked at the news coming out of Japan for examples of God's mercy and love in the midst of chaos.

What follows are a few examples of what I have found.

Citizens across Japan received a thirty-second warning before the earthquake struck. While that does not seem long, it was enough of a warning for many workers in buildings to head away from the dangerous clutter of their offices, and into the stairwells to walk to safety outside on the streets.

Forty-eight elementary students were found safe on a research vessel off Japan's north coast and were to be rescued by helicopters. The ship they were on survived the quake but lost its ability to navigate.  

The construction standards in Tokyo kept buildings from collapsing and allowed people underground in the subways to get up to the ground level, even though they were in a panic and stampeding while moving upward.

These are just a few examples I found of God's mercy and love over the people in Japan during the devastation of the nation. I have also looked at photos of the compassion of citizens one for another as the rescue efforts have taken place. Again, these are shining examples of loving your neighbor as yourself.

While the general news coming out of Japan will surely be overwhelming, and the news media will sensationalize the negative, I think it important to look for the good that will come from this situation.

People around the world will reach out to Japan and help them rebuild. People are already praying around the clock for Japan. 

All this will bring glory to God as He helps Japan recover from their tragedy.

The people of Japan will have to lean on God to get through the disaster. The survivors will face the trauma of their experiences for years, but God is with them. 


They have the opportunity to see Him in a personal way and  lean on Him to get through this dark time in their lives.

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Lord, bless the people of Japan. Let them recognize your light, love, faithfulness, and mercy as they rebuild their lives.