The devastating disaster in Japan breaks our hearts. And the response of World Vision’s donors and supporters around the world has been deeply touching. Many of you are asking the question: “How can we help?”
One way you might like to respond is to pray. The response on Twitter using the hashtag '#PrayForJapan' has been trending in a huge way, so here are some reflections for your prayers in the days and weeks ahead.
Pray for those who grieve.
Thousands of families have lost loved ones. Their hearts are broken. Let yours be broken with them and share in their grief. Ask God to touch them in a way that lets them know, unmistakably, that He knows what is happening to them and that He hasn’t turned His back on them.
Bible verses: Psalm 5:3, Philippians 4:7
Pray also for people in Japan, Australia and around the world who have been unable to reach their friends and relatives in the earthquake-affected area.
Pray for the protection of vulnerable and displaced children.
Children who are separated from their families after a disaster are at extraordinary risk for accidents, disease or even falling prey to criminals. Ask God to be strong tower and a place of safety for those children. Ask Him to guide them to those who can help them, and ask Him to confound and confuse all those who would seek to harm these precious little ones.
Pray for Japanese Christians.
Among those who are directly impacted by the earthquake and tsunami are our Japanese brothers and sisters in Christ. Ask God to be an ever-present hope for them in this time of trouble, and to grant them an extra measure of His grace. During this most difficult time, let people see Jesus in their lives.
Pray for wisdom.
Scripture tells us that by wisdom, the Lord founded the earth. Without it, our best intentions can dissolve into chaos. Ask God to grant wisdom to the Japanese government officials who most certainly are overwhelmed with offers of aid. Ask Him to help them make wise choices about how best to make use of the resources they are offered and how to get them to those in need quickly and effectively. For the relief agencies working in the disaster areas, ask God to give them discernment to know what assistance to offer and a clear plan for putting it to good use. For individuals and churches who want to assist financially, ask God to give them wisdom in deciding how much to give and which organizations to support.
Pray for health.
Ask God, the Great Physician, to be at work in the bodies of those who were injured in the earthquake and the tsunami, and those in the areas surrounding the nuclear power plants where there could be a risk of radiation exposure. Ask Him to be with the health care workers who are setting up emergency clinics. Pray for the efforts to establish sanitation, deal with the risk of water-borne illnesses from floodwaters and to deliver clean drinking water.
Pray for energy.
After a disaster, the enormity of the recovery can be paralysing. Relief workers trying to save as many survivors as they can will push themselves past the point of exhaustion. Ask God to give them extra energy.
Bible verse: Isaiah 40:29-31
Pray for passion.
As we’re bombarded with heart-wrenching images from Japan, it’s easy to reach a point where we just want to turn off the news and go back to the safety and routine of our own lives. Ask God to prick our consciences when we are tempted to turn away from those in need. Ask Him to replace our complacency with an unquenchable passion for what matter most to Him - people. Give us the heart to live out Christ's command that we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbours as ourselves.
How you can help:
Find out more about our
Emergency & Preparedness Fund or
donate now.