Malankara World

Today with Jesus

When Calamities Strike

by Rev. Fr. V.V. Paulose, Toronto, Canada

Today's Bible Verse

"Then he got up and ordered the wind and the waves to calm down. And everything was calm." (Mathew 8:26)

Discussion

What do you do when natural and man-made calamities strike us?

God is in control of the forces of nature. We should look to the Creator of the universe when we are in the midst of the fury of nature like earthquakes, tsunami and man-made calamities like nuclear meltdown in Japan. Destruction and death are the works of Satan. "A thief comes only to rob, kill and destroy, I came so that everyone would have life and have it fully" (John 10:10).

Instead of getting panic, we should step into the fields of rescue, and reconstruction by looking and trusting on God. "Where will I find help? It will come from the Lord, who created heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:1,2).

We should be calm. It's the duty of God's people to help and not putting blames and making doomsday predictions. When everything is settled and rescued, then is the time to reflect, confess, reconcile, commit, review and recast all of us for a new person in a new perspective and in a new way of life. This unimaginable pain and suffering of the Japanese will pass. Spring will dawn on them. They are the most resilient people on earth. In 1945, Japan was in the nadir after the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but rose back like a Phoenix. So we should count on God and his creation in his own image – the human beings.

Friday, the 11th of March 2011 is a black day for the people of Japan and humanity at large. The earthquake of 8.9 magnitude accompanied with 40 meter Tsunami waves struck on the coast of Japan. This disaster was culminated by the damage to several nuclear reactors with unpredictable disaster for the future generations. The high faith in technology and the power of human beings is shaken. Japan, with the most invincible people on earth, has officially requested help from other countries. Japanese people's patience, order, and the priority of community above the individuals in this time of horrendous calamities are unequalled in any other communities. There is no jumping out of queue in the refugee center of food distribution. There everybody waits patiently for their own turn to come.

"For the son of man has not come to destroy people's lives, but save them" (Luke 9:56).

So let us be the savior for the people of Japan by way prayers, donations, volunteering and spread awareness about the dangers of destructive weapons using nuclear power and have an open brain storming of the questionability of the use of nuclear energy.

Prayer

Jesus, we cry with the people of Japan. Wipe the tears of our fellow beings in Japan. Be with them and let them come out of their sufferings. We pray for the rescuers to save the lives in danger. Make a protective shield over the dangerous nuclear reactors. We pray for the victims of the family. We pray for Japan to rise again with more vigor and vitality. May all donors and volunteers be blessed . All we asked in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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