Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Time...

I just saw a notice to remember that this coming Sunday, March 11th, time in much of the U.S. will "spring forward" one hour. That had really not crossed my mind recently. What has occupied much of my thoughts this week is how time has moved forward... March 11th, 2012 will mark one year since the earthquake/tsunami disasters struck Japan's Tohoku region. So much remains unresolved. Still God has worked mightily throughout this time. There are countless reminders of the loss and devastation. And there are many unheard stories. In the midst of it all, is God. He is changing lives across the globe through the events that took place here on March 11th, 2011. Individuals and groups from around the world have come to help in whatever ways they could. Some Christian, some not. Whether they realize, or intend to, or not, each is showing and sharing the message of God's love.
Throughout the past year I've read numerous articles and accounts of those touched by the events that day. In one, the wife of a pastor in Sendai whose church building disappeared, said this, "Please pray that a ‘Holy Spirit tsunami’ will come and wash over us so more people will be saved." It hasn't quite reached 'tsunami' status yet, but there are certainly many showers of the Holy Spirit falling on people in Japan. How humbling and wonderful it is to hear, read and see lives being given over to God in the wake of such things.
This past weekend there was a huge event in Sendai. Franklin Graham spoke... and some 12,000!!! Japanese people attended! There are articles on the event itself, the preparation leading up to it, and many others related to how lives have been touched in the past year in Japan. I encourage you to take the time to read many of these, watch some of the video and most of all to continue to pray for God to become known to the lost.
The link will open to an article of the event and has links to many others; http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=8521