Fire and flood…

Perhaps the timing on last week’s post was God-ordained. Here I am, praying for another nation’s millions, knowing that, as I pray, people are fighting for their lives. Knowing that they’ll be fighting for hope and courage and finances and joy in the days ahead.

As I wrote last week, I can no longer pray only that God would protect His people, though I’m finding that my thoughts and feelings this morning…today…show that last week’s thoughts were just that. Thoughts. The whole question of what to pray is much, much more real today than it was then.

Actually, I found myself somewhat surprised by the words that my spirit formed in prayer, for they were, I think, far more daring than the old “protect Your people” prayer was. Daring as in part-of-me-says-it’s-crazy-to-even-pray-it. Yet, I think this new prayer reflects the heart of the Father much more. This is what He would rather me ask. This prayer reflects His reality which says that everything–every life–on this earth is temporal, and it’s the eternal that counts. It’s the eternal life whose value is priceless.

And so, I my daring prayer now for Japan is…

Father, these Japanese are Your people. You created them, You formed them, and You love each and every single last one of them. Father, I would love for You to protect, not only those who have already accepted Your lordship and the salvation You offer, but every Japanese person…yet I know that there is much more at stake here.

And so I ask instead, Father, that out of all of those in Japan that are still alive as of the moment I first prayed this prayer…Father, I pray that You would not allow one who does not know You to perish–to die eternally. Those that are clinging to their last moments of life, I ask that You bring to their remembrance whatever seeds of Truth You have sown and soften their hearts that they might accept You while they can, that they may be welcomed to Your arms. Those that have never known of Your offer of salvation, Father I ask that You would work miracles to keep them alive, and I ask that You would place in their path those of Your people who will speak with boldness and through the Spirit, speaking words of truth and love.

Let the fire of Your Spirit flame forth upon that land, and may the flood of Your love rush before it, to be followed by a great harvest of souls. That when I meet You in heaven, I will also see tens of thousands of Japanese brothers and sisters who are there because of this day…that though these days ahead will be days of trials and hardship for many, yet in Heaven they will also be days of rejoicing because of the many being set free.

I ask this in the precious name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Let it be so, and Amen!